Chinese University Students’ Stereotypes of Japanese People and Their Associations with Japanese Film and Television Viewing

This research explores common stereotypes Chinese university students hold about the Japanese and the association between Japanese film and television viewing and the endorsement of these stereotypes. In Study 1, the authors content-analyzed stereotypical traits of Japanese people generated by 242 Chinese university students. A total of 34 frequently listed traits were obtained based on the binomial distribution formula. Study 2, by surveying another sample of 393 Chinese university students, examined the association between consumption of Japanese films and television programs and the endorsement of common stereotypes about the Japanese identified in Study 1. Results show that viewing frequency was uniquely associated with stereotype endorsement, regardless of valence. Additionally, mediation analysis indicates that viewing frequency was associated with perceived attraction (to both fictional and non-fictional characters) and similarities (to non-fictional characters only), which were in turn associated with stronger endorsement of positive stereotypes. Perceived attraction (to fictional characters) was associated with a stronger tendency to endorse neutral stereotypes, whereas perceived similarities (to fictional characters) were associated with a weaker tendency to endorse neutral stereotypes. No indirect effects were found for negative stereotypes. These findings are discussed with reference to prior literature and implications for advancing research on media consumption and intergroup relations.