ERIC Number: EJ981530
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2012-Sep
Pages: 21
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-0011-1287
EISSN: N/A
Does Watching the News Affect Fear of Terrorism? The Importance of Media Exposure on Terrorism Fear
Nellis, Ashley Marie; Savage, Joanne
Crime & Delinquency, v58 n5 p748-768 Sep 2012
Several authors have proposed that media hype elevates perceptions of risk and fear of crime. Research suggests that fear of crime is related to the overall amount of media consumption, resonance of news reports, how much attention the individual pays to the news, and how credible he or she believes it to be. The present study examines whether the same applies for terrorism. We use telephone survey data (N = 532) of New Yorkers and Washingtonians to test whether perceived risk and fear of terrorism are associated with several media-related variables. We find that exposure to terrorism-related news is positively associated with perceived risk of terrorism to self and others and with fear for others, but not for self. (Contains 2 notes and 5 tables.)
Descriptors: Terrorism, Mass Media Role, Crime, Fear, Telephone Surveys, News Reporting, Risk, Credibility, Correlation
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Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: N/A
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Identifiers - Location: District of Columbia; New York
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A