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Abstract
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OBJECTIVES
To assess how media images of protests calling for police reform affect public support for police reform policies.
Methods
Participants were randomly assigned to view a picture of a protest, which depicted predominately White protesters or predominately Black protesters. Participants then indicated their support for eight police reform policies. As a follow-up to the primary analyses, we conducted regression analyses to determine how assumptions of protest demographics influence support for reform.
Results
Exposure to images highlighting the racial demographics of a protest does not affect support for reform. However, support for police reform is influenced by preexisting opinions about protests calling for police reform, including the perceived racial composition of a protest.
Conclusions
Although the public is generally supportive of police reforms, support can be affected by situational factors; beliefs about the race of who is attending protests inform support for police reform.
Language: en |