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Background and Statement of the Problem
The representation of race, gender, and ethnicity on television
has been the object of much research as evidence of the power of
media characterizations achieve in perpetuating stereotypical ideas
and preconceived notions about specific social groups (Giles et
al., 1977; Macrae et. al., 1995; Graves, 1999; Harwood & Anderson,
2002). Television is an important medium where the relations and
interactions between social groups, stereotyping, and group identity
are presented (Harwood & Anderson, 2002).
Stereotyping is a concept that has been linked to television production
and audience response. Stereotyping as defined here is when one
evaluates and attributes oversimplified generalized characteristics
to members of a certain group (Allport, 1954/1979; Macrae et. al.,
1996). Some psychologists have suggested that a component of the
process of stereotyping is categorization, which is a required process
that people use to make sense of the world (Allport, 1954,1979;
Stephan, 1985). However, stereotyping implies an uncritical thought,
a pre-judgment response bias of what the other person might be or
represent. It creates a rigid expectation of people, discounting
their individuality, and may ultimately lead to people’s prejudice
against different groups (Devine, 1989).
Television portrayal of different social groups, not limited to
race, but also to age and gender, received the attention of numerous
studies (Harwood & Anderson, 2002). Some studies of frequent
television viewers (Gerbner et al., 1982, 1984) argue that this
mass medium plays a dominant role in defining people’s cultural
and social values, and in shaping the viewer’s worldview.
A recent quantitative research of race and gender representation
in television advertisement in the US (Coltrane & Messino, 2000),
demonstrated that TV commercials continue to reproduce many stereotypes
of race and gender. According to the study, contrary to earlier
studies, African American men are frequently portrayed as independent
and respectful. However, they are depicted as aggressive and gaining
visibility primarily through sports. While white women were shown
more frequently as sex objects, African American women’s beauty
was not as revered, and their commercials did not allow for the
portrayal of romance and family bliss. From their observation, Latinos/as,
Asian Americans, and Native Americans are practically invisible.
Regarding the influence of television portrayal of social groups,
Graves (1999) points out that both forms of television representation,
either by including or excluding race or ethnicity, influence children’s
beliefs about racial and ethnic groups. Graves believes that by
omitting certain ethnic or racial segments of society, there is
an implication that viewers might infer that this group is not important,
negligible, and powerless. However, television effects are not limited
to children, as Harwood & Anderson (2002) point out:
…the media are transmitting and perpetuating stereotypes of
social groups, and these images are affecting majority and minority
group members' perceptions of groups and intergroup relations
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