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Smith Thesis 2015.pdf (1.36 MB)

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“Dark-Skinned People Be Like”: How Colorism-Promoting Internet Memes and Audience Feedback Influence African Americans’ Intragroup Attitude and Perception of Skin – Tone Bias

Smith, Marisa A
http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1431002424

Abstract Details

2015, Master of Arts, Ohio State University, Communication.
This study aimed to understand the role of positive and negative feedback on attitude, behavioral intention and shared reality. Through the lens of the social cognitive theory (SCT), grounding theory, social identity theory (SIT) and social identity model of deindividualization effects (SIDE), the study focused on memes that portrayed colorism (i.e., intragroup discrimination). African American participants viewed a meme portraying dark-skinned Blacks as poor on Twitter that received negative or positive feedback through comments and emoticons. Overall, participants who viewed memes receiving positive feedback reported more negative attitudes towards sharing the meme. Furthermore, when the meme received positive feedback, participants reported less identification with the commenter. Although the study provided a glimpse into colorism within social media, skewed data hinder external validity. Future research will address this issue.
Roselyn Lee-Won (Advisor)
Osei Appiah (Committee Member)
62 p.
Communication
Memes; colorism; skin-tone bias; social influence; social media; social networking sites; twitter; attitude; behavioral intention; social reality; grounding theory; intragroup discrimination; social cognitive theory

Recommended Citations

Citations

  • Smith, M. A. (2015). “Dark-Skinned People Be Like”: How Colorism-Promoting Internet Memes and Audience Feedback Influence African Americans’ Intragroup Attitude and Perception of Skin – Tone Bias [Master's thesis, Ohio State University]. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1431002424

    APA Style (7th edition)

  • Smith, Marisa. “Dark-Skinned People Be Like”: How Colorism-Promoting Internet Memes and Audience Feedback Influence African Americans’ Intragroup Attitude and Perception of Skin – Tone Bias . 2015. Ohio State University, Master's thesis. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center, http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1431002424.

    MLA Style (8th edition)

  • Smith, Marisa. "“Dark-Skinned People Be Like”: How Colorism-Promoting Internet Memes and Audience Feedback Influence African Americans’ Intragroup Attitude and Perception of Skin – Tone Bias ." Master's thesis, Ohio State University, 2015. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1431002424

    Chicago Manual of Style (17th edition)

osu1431002424
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© 2015, all rights reserved.
This open access ETD is published by The Ohio State University and OhioLINK.