Inducing identity fusion with stigmatized immigrants through narrative messages. The role of audience-character similarity based on social identity and narrative voice

Abstract

Intergroup communication can be an effective tool to reduce prejudice and improveattitudes towards stigmatized groups (such as immigrants), especially when narrative messagesare well crafted. Taking as a reference the research on narrative persuasion and on the psychosocial processes that explain prejudice reduction, an online experiment (N = 464) wasconducted in which the role of two narrative devices was analyzed with a 2 (audience-charactersimilarity based on social identity: low vs. high) x 2 (narrative voice: first vs. third-personmessage) between-subjects factorial design. Serial multiple moderated mediation analysisshowed that identification with the protagonist (which involves a process of merging with aparticular case exemplified in a testimonial message) and identity fusion experience (thatinvolves individuals identify with the whole group) were processes operating in tandem,allowing to explain how, why and when certain narrative devices improved outgroup attitudes,promoted contact intention and encouraged prosocial behaviors towards the stigmatized group.Our work improves the understanding of the mechanisms that explain the impact of narrativesin the field of intergroup communication, and demonstrates that certain attributes of this typeof messages (narrative devices) can increase their effectiveness.