Harnessing Digital Media in the Fight Against Prejudice: Social Contact and Exposure to Digital Media Solutions

Abstract

The current research focuses on the role of both physical and virtual environments in facilitating subtle and blatant prejudice reduction of the Jewish majority toward the Arab minority in Israel. This research was conducted through an online survey of 450 Jewish students who use digital media daily. Virtual contact and exposure to negative content about Arabs on digital media were found to reduce subtle prejudice. We found that face-to-face contact reduces both types of prejudice, whereas the effect of traditional media was not found.