UC Irvine

Across a correlational study and two experiments, this dissertation examined the link between media exposure to interpersonal violence and mental health, as well as the role of social (racial) identity in this link. In Chapter 2, observational data from a nationally representative U.S. sample were used to investigate correlates of watching videos of Black victims of violence, the association between frequent watching and mental health outcomes, and whether race (Black vs. non-Black) moderated this association. Results showed that (a) Black participants watched videos of Black victims of violence more frequently than non-Black participants, (b) more frequent watching was associated with greater video-specific distress, global distress, and functional impairment, and (c) more frequent watching was prospectively associated with greater stress about police violence against Black people 18 months later for Black, but not non-Black, participants. In Chapter 3, two experiments were conducted to assess the psychological impact of exposure to images of interpersonal violence and the roles of victim race, violence type (i.e., police vs. non-police [civilian] perpetrator), perpetrator race, and the viewer’s own race in these responses. Results in Experiment 1 indicated that both Black and White individuals’ negative affect and image-related distress were increased by exposure to images of Black victims (vs. White victims) of violence. Also, those who were more distressed by the images in the experiment reported more worry about and perceived risk of future violence one week later. Findings in Experiment 2 showed that Black individuals’ emotional responses to images of Black victims of violence depended on whether the perpetrator was a police officer (vs. civilian) and the perpetrator’s race (Black vs. White). Taken together, the results of this dissertation suggest that media exposure to Black victims of violence is associated with adverse mental health outcomes, both in the shorter and longer term. Black viewers of this media may be especially susceptible to these worse outcomes, likely due to sharing a social (racial) identity with the victims in the incidents. The implications of these findings for both individuals and media organizations are discussed.