Željko Pavić, Daniela Šincek, Marija Milić: MEDIA USE AND FEAR OF VICTIMIZATION – THE MEDIATING ROLES OF GENERALIZED TRUST AND BELIEFS IN A JUST WORLD
Original Paper
Željko Pavić, Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences in Osijek, Croatia
Daniela Šincek, Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences in Osijek, Croatia
Marija Milić, Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences in Osijek, Croatia
DOI: https://doi.org/10.59014/NRQH1245
Keywords:
cultivation effects, fear of victimization, institutional trust, just-world beliefs, media use
Abstract
With the spread of Internet use, the digital environment has become an important
factor affecting personal well-being. Cultivation media effects represent the congruence
between characteristics of the „media worlds“ and the worldviews of media consumers
after prolonged media consumption. This research study aimed to determine
whether Internet and television use are connected with the fear of victimization and
the possible mediating mechanisms of this connection. The research sample consisted
of 1.021 persons from an opt-in online sample of the general population of Croatia.
Results of structural equation modelling analysis showed that the total amount of
television use is connected with increased generalized trust in people and belief in a
just world, consequently decreasing fear of victimization. On the contrary, the overall
amount of Internet use is connected with decreased generalized trust and belief in
a just world, and consequently increasing fear of victimization. The analysis of the
consumption of crime news on television and the Internet revealed much less clear
conclusions. Namely, the consumption of television crime news is related to increased
belief in a just world, and consequently with decreased fear of victimization. However,
the direct effect of watching crime news on television showed a reverse sign.
Consequently, the total effect (encompassing factors other than just world beliefs)
showed a positive sign, i.e. consumption of crime news on television increases fear of
victimization. When it comes to the Internet, neither the direct nor indirect effects
of consuming crime news can be confirmed.
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