Cultivating Adulthood Prejudice Toward Black Americans and Low-Income Individuals Through Childhood Social Media Use: A Retrospective Approach

Previous research has linked lifetime media use with intergroup prejudice. Our studies extend previous findings by linking current intergroup prejudice (race, social class) with retrospectively reported media use in specific life stages (childhood, adolescence, adulthood). Across two surveys (n = 293; n = 369), we found childhood social media use, but not adolescence or adulthood social media use, significantly predicted participants' current prejudicial attitudes toward Black individuals and low-income individuals, mediated through social dominance orientation. Additionally, overall lifetime social media use was associated with positive and negative racial attitudes through social dominance orientation. However, findings with lifetime TV use were mixed. Neither of indirect effects between overall lifetime TV use, social dominance orientation, and racial attitudes (or income egalitarianism) was statistically significant. Further, neither of these indirect effects with TV use in specific life stages was significant. Overall, the present findings call for attention on contemporary media in addition to traditional media in cultivation research.

Automated summary

Previous research has linked lifetime media use with intergroup prejudice. Our studies found that childhood social media use significantly predicted current prejudicial attitudes. However, adolescence and adulthood social media use did not have the same effect. Overall lifetime social media use was associated with racial attitudes, but lifetime TV use had mixed results.