Cognitive and Emotional Outcomes of Latino Threat Narratives in News Media: An Exploratory Study

Abstract

Objective: Although negative news portrayals can influence attitudes and beliefs about immigrants, little is known about how different types of threat narratives influence Americans’ emotions and perceptions of Latino immigrants specifically. This study examines cognitive and emotional responses to Latino threat narratives in the news media. Method: We conducted an online experiment using a posttest-only randomized design to assess participants’ perceptions of Latino immigrants and their emotional responses to threat narratives in news media. Participants (N = 208) were randomly assigned to experimental and control groups. In one experimental group, participants (n = 68) read a news story about Latino immigrants as economic threats; in the other, participants (n = 70) read a news article about Latino immigrants as cultural threats. In the control group, participants (n = 70) read an article that did not implicate Latinos as threats. We used ANCOVA to test mean differences in responses to threat narratives across the experimental and control groups. Results: Participants who read the story about a Latino economic threat reported more intense negative emotions and significantly higher levels of perceived realistic threats from Latino immigrants than participants in the control group. Participants who read the article discussing a Latino cultural threat reported more intense positive emotions and significantly higher levels of perceived symbolic threats from Latino immigrants than the control group. Conclusions: Findings suggest that different types of Latino threat narratives have distinct influences on individuals’ emotions and threat perceptions of Latino immigrants. Implications for social work practice are discussed.