ABSTRACT
Empirical findings have supported the assumptions of the theory and shown that threat perceptions, respectively, fear of terrorism affects non-Muslim recipients’ attitudes and hostile perceptions toward Muslims in general. To test the specific effects of news differentiation, a controlled laboratory experiment was conducted. Results showed that undifferentiated news about Islamic State terrorism increased participants’ fear of terrorism and resulted in hostile perceptions toward Muslims in general. The frequency of contact with Muslims was controlled in all analyses to ensure that the quality of contact with Muslims was assessed independently of the contact frequency. Citizens are being informed about serious issues at stake, whereas unwanted generalizations resulting in hostile attitudes toward Muslims are avoided. Clarification of the underlying processes of how differentiation in the news about terrorism affects news consumers’ perceptions of Muslims can be regarded highly relevant for future research and may further contribute to improving news coverage about terrorism.
