Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Abstract
The so-called Missing White Women Syndrome in the media was largely a popular
belief that has not been systematically investigated. This study used victimization
theories in narratives to guide an investigation into coverage of the AMBER Alert
victims. Results indicated that the story behind the syndrome was multilayered. Findings
also helped inform discussions on its possible conceptualization.
10
11
12
13
2. The literature indicates that the potential intensity of dramatic content is much
greater in cases where strangers, rather than family members, perpetrate
abductions, or if physical or psychological harm befalls the victim. Are
14
15
16
Results
The first research question asked if disproportionate coverage was related to the
AMBER victims gender, age, or race.
In terms of gender, of the total 136 cases examined, 91 (66.9%) were female and
45 (33.1%) were male. The study showed no significant differences in amount of
coverage between males and females (t (134)= -.116, p=.908). The mean number of
stories reported for each child based on gender (m=3.28 stories for males, m= 3.51 stories
for females) was not statistically significant.
The study found significant differences in the coverage of victims based upon
race. (F(3, 132)=3.05, p=.03). An ANOVA using a Bonferoni post hoc procedure found
that white children were featured in significantly more stories overall than Hispanic
children (m=6.029 for white children, m=.2703 for Hispanic children, p=.049). Hispanics
received the lowest mean number of reported stories of any group (n= 37, m=.27)
17
18
In terms of race, the study found significant differences in six of the ten narrative
elements, including conflict, dilemma, empathy, violence, innocence and vulnerability.
The categories that did not show statistical significance were contrast, sex, evil and lurid
detail (see Table 2). Bonferoni post hoc analyses revealed that the differences existed
between stories for missing Whites and Hispanics. No differences were found between
Whites and Blacks, nor Blacks and Hispanics.
19
In terms of age, the study found significant differences in eight of the ten
narrative elements, including conflict, empathy, violence, sex, innocence, vulnerability,
evil and lurid detail. The categories that did not show statistical significance were
contrast, and dilemma (see Table 3). Bonferoni post hoc analyses revealed that the
differences existed between stories for missing children 0-5 years of age and 6-10 years
of age. No differences were found among other age groups.
Because many narrative categories were significant for both race and age, the two
variables were further analyzed to see if there were any interaction effects. Results
indicated that within every age category, White children received more coverage in every
narrative category (Due to the small sample size (n=2), Asians were omitted from
analysis).
20
21
22
23
24
References
Americas Most Wanted: Missing Children, Active and Issued AMBER Alerts (2010),
retrieved March 25th, 2010 from http://www.amw.com/missing_children/amberalerts.cfm.
Aristotle. (1954). Rhetoric. (W. R. Roberts., Trans. ). New York, NY: Modern Library.
Aust, C. F., & Zillmann, D. (1996). Effects of victim exemplification in television news
on viewer perception of social issues. Journalism and Media Communication
Quarterly, 73 (4), 787-803.
Barkin, S. M. (1984). The journalist as storyteller: an interdisciplinary perspective.
American Journalism, 1 (2). 27-34.
Berner, R. T. (1988). Writing literary features. Hillsdale, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum
Associates.
Best, J. (1997). Victimization and the victim industry, Society, 34 (4), 9-17.
Chermak, S. M. (1995). Victims in the News: Crime and the American News Media.
Boulder: Westview Press.
Clark, R. P. (2008). Missing people face disparity in media coverage. Retrieved March
29, 2010 from http://rotofoundation.com/bulletinboard.aspx
Do Rozario, R. C. (2004). The princess and the magic kingdom: beyond nostalgia, the
function of the Disney princess. Women's Studies in Mass Communication, 27
(1), 34-59.
Douglas, S. J. (1995). Where the girls are: growing up female with the mass media.
New York: Three Rivers Press. 293-294.
25
26
27
28
Male (n=45)
Female (n=91)
Conflict
1.7
1.6
.06
.95
Contrast
.80
.40
.80
.42
Dilemma
1.75
1.30
.52
.60
Empathy
1.34
1.19
.18
.86
Violence
1.57
1.59
-.021
.98
Sex
.80
1.13
-.43
.68
Innocence
1.57
1.63
-.07
.95
Vulnerable
1.77
1.71
.06
.95
Evil
.91
1.00
-.11
.91
Lurid Detail
.51
.81
.75
.52
Narrative Elements
White
Black
Hispanic
(n=69)
(n=28)
(n=37)
(2, 131)
Conflict
2.94 (6.92)a
.61 (1.37)
.08 (.36)b
4.67
.011**
Contrast
1.00 (3.67)
.07 (.262)
.00 (.00)
2.24
.111
Dilemma
2.49 (6.32) a
.57 (1.52)
.16 (.44) b
3.71
.028**
Empathy
2.23 (6.08) a
.32 (.86)
.08 (.27) b
3.64
.029**
Violence
2.81 (7.06) a
.64 (1.63)
.00 (.00) b
4.19
.017**
Sex
1.88 (5.74)
.25 (1.32)
.00 (.00)
3.05
.051
Innocence
2.86 (7.24) a
.46 (1.40)
.16 (.37) b
3.99
.021**
Vulnerable
3.06 (7.50) a
.54 (1.57)
.16 (.44) b
4.23
.017**
Evil
1.77 (5.95)
.29 (1.32)
.00 (.00)
2.44
.091
Lurid Detail
1.35 (4.73)
.11 (.56)
.03 (.16)
2.37
.097
Note. Means that do not share subscripts differ at p < .05 in the F test within the same
predictor. Values in parentheses are standard deviations.
Narrative
0-5
6-10
11-15
16-20
Elements
(n=65)
(n=27)
(n=26)
(n=16)
(3,130)
Conflict
1.00 (2.51) a
4.15 (9.96)b
1.62 (3.59)
.25 (1.00)
2.96
.035**
Contrast
.14 (.429) a
1.78 (5.60) b
.42 (1.57)
.19 (.750)
2.61
.054
Dilemma
1.03 (2.59)
3.15 (9.13)
1.38 (2.98)
.38 (1.08)
1.64
.182
Empathy
.62 (1.42) a
3.67 (9.32) b
.69 (1.71)
.56 (1.99)
3.48
.018**
Violence
.85 (2.74) a
4.15 (10.16) b
1.46 (3.14)
.44 (1.50)
2.94
.036**
Sex
.22 (.82) a
3.33 (8.67) b
1.15 (2.78)
.19 (.54)
3.90
.010**
Innocence
.89 (2.18) a
4.37 (10.74) b
1.12 (2.55)
.69 (2.75)
3.13
.028**
Vulnerable
.97 (2.22) a
4.52 (11.14) b
1.38 (3.06)
.69 (2.75)
2.98
.034**
Evil
.12 (.875) a
3.59 (9.00) b
.77 (2.28)
.31 (1.25)
4.50
.005**
Lurid Detail
.25 (1.03) a
2.41 (7.18) b
.54 (1.72)
.13 (.50)
2.85
.040**
Note. Means that do not share subscripts differ at p < .05 in the F test within the same
predictor. Values in parentheses are standard deviations.
31
Contrast
Dilemma
Empathy
Violence
Sex
Innocence
Vulnerable
Evil
Lurid Detail
Age
Category
0-5
6-10
11-15
16+
0-5
6-10
11-15
16+
0-5
6-10
11-15
16+
0-5
6-10
11-15
16+
0-5
6-10
11-15
16+
0-5
6-10
11-15
16+
0-5
6-10
11-15
16+
0-5
6-10
11-15
16+
0-5
6-10
11-15
16+
0-5
6-10
11-15
16+
White
Children (n) m
(31) 1.87
(15) 6.80
(13) 3.00
(10) .40
(31) .23
(15) 3.20
(13) .85
(10) .30
(31) 1.90
(15) 5.00
(13) 2.46
(10) .60
(31) 1.13
(15) 6.13
(13) 1.38
(10) .90
(31) 1.61
(15) 6.73
(13) 2.77
(10) .70
(31) .45
(15) 5.53
(13) 2.31
(10) .30
(31) 1.65
(15) 7.20
(13) 2.08
(10) 1.10
(31) 1.81
(15) 7.40
(13) 2.54
(10) 1.87
(31) .23
(15) 6.00
(13) 1.54
(10) .50
(31) .48
(15) 4.13
(13) 1.08
(10) .20
Black
Children (n) m
(15) .33
(9) 1.11
(4) .50
(0) .00
(15) .13
(9) .00
(4) .00
(0) .00
(15) .27
(9) 1.11
(4) .50
(0) .00
(15) .20
(9) .67
(4) .00
(0) .00
(15) .33
(9) 1.22
(4) .50
(0) .00
(15) .00
(9) .78
(4) .00
(0) .00
(15) .27
(9) 1.00
(4) .00
(0) .00
(15) .27
(9) 1.11
(4) .25
(0) .00
(15) .07
(9) .78
(4) .00
(0) .00
(15) .00
(9) .33
(4) .00
(0) .00
Hispanic
Children (n) m
(19) .11
(3) .00
(9) .11
(6) .00
(19) .00
(3) .00
(9) .00
(6) .19
(19) .21
(3) .00
(9) .22
(6) .00
(19) .11
(3) .33
(9) .00
(6) .00
(19) .00
(3) .00
(9) .00
(6) .00
(19) .00
(3) .00
(9) .00
(6) .00
(19) .16
(3) .33
(9) .22
(6) .00
(19) .16
(3) .33
(9) .22
(6) .00
(19) .00
(3) .00
(9) .00
(6) .00
(19) .05
(3) .00
(9) .00
(6) .00