This research project examines the reception and effects of media communication in relation to the European refugee debate on the basis of two survey studies. The following research questions were specifically examined:
- To what extent do citizens perceive the reporting on the refugee issue as biased and how can these hostile media perceptions be explained?
- In what way are citizens annoyed by the coverage of the refugee issue and what are the consequences?
- What are the effects of an issue-specific communication behavior via mass media, social media and personal conversations on political participation?
- To what extent do different segments of the German population differ with regard to their information use, their quality expectations and media bias perceptions in the context of the refugee debate?
- To what extent can we observe individual changes in an issue-specific information behavior and attitudes towards refugees over time?
Publications from these projects:
- Arlt, D., Dalmus, C., & Metag, J. (2018). Direct and Indirect Effects of Involvement on Hostile Media Perceptions in the Context of the Refugee Crisis in Germany and Switzerland. Mass Communication
- Arlt, D., & Wolling, J. (2018). Bias wanted! Examining people’s information exposure, quality expectations and bias perceptions in the context of the refugees debate among different segments of the German population. Communications, 43(1), 75-99. doi:10.1515/commun-2017-0045
- Arlt, D. (2017). Communication behavior and protest participation in the refugee debate: The role of personal conversations, mass media and social media usage in citizen participation. Studies in Communication | Media (SCM), 6(1), 81–94.
- Arlt, D. & Wolling, J. (2017): Die Flüchtlingsdebatte in den Medien aus der Perspektive der Bevölkerung: Veränderungen von Nutzungsmustern, Erwartungen, Bewertungen und Einstellungen zwischen 2016 und 2017. Media Perspektiven, 6: 325-337.
- Metag, J., & Arlt, D. (2016). Das Konstrukt Themenverdrossenheit und seine Messung. Theoretische Konzeptualisierung und Skalenentwicklung. Medien & Kommunikationswissenschaft, 64(4), 542-563.
- Arlt, D. & Wolling, J. (2016): The Refugees: threatening or beneficial? Exploring the effects of positive and negative attitudes and communication on hostile media perceptions. Global Media Journal, 6(1): 1-21.
- Arlt, D. & Wolling, J. (2016). Die Syrer, die Medien und wir. In: Die ZEIT, Nr. 19, 28. April 2016, S. 48.
