Somewhere over the rainbow

Many societies strive for equality among the people living in them. However, people who are members of underrepresented groups are still subject to discrimination and violence across the globe. A potential avenue to reduce discrimination is through exposure to entertainment media narratives, such as videos, films and TV series. In this project, we look at a reduction in discrimination as an increase in openness: approaching underrepresented groups unbiasedly, thinking and feeling positively towards them, and (a tendency towards) accepting them. This project aims to answer the question of how entertainment media narratives can influence people’s openness towards underrepresented groups, specifically the LGBTQIA+ community. Moreover, the aim is to identify the underlying mechanisms of this influence.