Info-Bias Mechanism and American College Studentsʹ Attitudes Towards Arabs

This paper investigates American college students’ attitudes towards Arabs along four dimensions: government, women, men, and Arabs in general. The study signifies the importance of ‘‘info-biased media’’ in the attitude formation of national groups outside the United States. Hispanics had the lowest positive aggregate; they also had the highest negative aggregate rating of Arabs. College students who had little knowledge of the Arab World were to rate Arabs more negatively than those with high knowledge. This study provides a glimpse of American public opinion of Arabs. Internationally, it also uncovers the stereotypic way American college students portray Arabs and their countries. The study helps people in the media working in international organizations to devise better ways to represent Arabs realistically beyond stereotypical images.