Higher exposure to news media may fuel Islamophobia, according to a new study which found that people show increased anger and reduced warmth towards Muslims if they are more avid news consumers.
Researchers have long suspected that the news media fuels Islamophobia, but these ideas had never been tested on a nation-wide scale.
The study is based on responses from 16,584 people in New Zealand.
Researchers found that people who are more avid news consumers - whether liberal or conservative - showed both increased anger and reduced warmth towards Muslims.
"People tend to interpret the news in ways that fit with their pre-existing biases, seeking affirmation of their beliefs while discounting conflicting information," said John Shaver, from University of Otago in New Zealand. [DNA India] Read more
