본 연구는 국내 언론의 외국인 이주민에 대한 뉴스 보도 방식이 외국인 이주민에 대한 한국인들의 태도에 미치는 영향을 실험을 통해 살펴보았다. 외국인 이주민에 대한 긍정적 기조의 보도와 외국인 이주민과 한국인 사이 긍정적인 교류에 관한 보도를 각각 준사회적 접촉 보도와 대리 접촉 보도라 정의 내리고 이들 보도에 대한 노출이 외국인 이주민에 대한 부정적 태도를 감소시키는지 검증했다. 또한 집단 정체성이 집단 간 접촉에 영향을 미친다는 연구 결과들을 바탕으로, 이들 보도 방식이 국민 정체성과 상호작용해 이주민 에 대한 태도를 결정하는지 확인해 보았다. 본 연구는 준사회적 접촉과 대리 접촉 보도의 태도 향상 효과가 국민 정체성이 낮은 사람들 사이에서 더 크게 나타날 것이라 예측했다. 연구결과 준사회적 접촉과 대리 접촉 보도 모두 외국인 이주민에 대한 부정적인 태도를 감소시키지 못했다. 그러나 보도방식과 국민 정체성 사이 유의미한 상호작용효과가 발견되었는데, 예상과는 달리 대리 접촉 보도에 대한 노출은 국민 정체성이 낮은 사람들 사이에서 외국인 이주민에 대한 태도를 악화시키는 결과가 나타났다. 또한 이 같은 효과는 외국인 이주민에 대한 공포 감정이 높아지면서 발생하는 것으로 나타났다.
The current study examined the relationship between news messages and attitude toward foreign immigrants in Korea. The study defined the news regarding foreign immigrants portrayed with positive tone as ‘parasocial contact news’, and the news portraying positive meeting between Koreans and foreign immigrants as ‘vicarious contact news’. Then, the study tested if these types of news would decrease the negative attitude toward foreign immigrants compared to the control group. Also, on the basis of the results that group identity influenced the contact’s effect on the intergroup relations, the study examined the interaction effect between Korean’s national identity and news types on the attitude. The results showed that both the parasocial contact news and vicarious contact news could not decrease the negative attitude toward foreign immigrants. However, it was found that among people who has lower national identity, the vicarious contact news worsened the attitude toward foreign immigrants, which is opposite to the original expectation. Also, it was found that this effect was mediated by fear.
The current study examined the relationship between news messages and attitude toward foreign immigrants in Korea. The study defined the news regarding foreign immigrants portrayed with positive tone as ‘parasocial contact news’, and the news portraying positive meeting between Koreans and foreign immigrants as ‘vicarious contact news’. Then, the study tested if these types of news would decrease the negative attitude toward foreign immigrants compared to the control group. Also, on the basis of the results that group identity influenced the contact’s effect on the intergroup relations, the study examined the interaction effect between Korean’s national identity and news types on the attitude. The results showed that both the parasocial contact news and vicarious contact news could not decrease the negative attitude toward foreign immigrants. However, it was found that among people who has lower national identity, the vicarious contact news worsened the attitude toward foreign immigrants, which is opposite to the original expectation. Also, it was found that this effect was mediated by fear.