8
Using data from the content analysis, the experiment incorporates versions of the
issue individuals might have encountered in the media. The experiment required subjects
to read a newspaper article that they were told had originally appeared in the New York
Times. The article that the subjects read was one of several contrived articles that
discussed some aspect of the debate surrounding the Trent Lott incident.
For each experimental condition, subjects were exposed to one of four scenarios:
a group of African Americans taking the conservative position by expressing support for
Lott, a group of racially ambiguous persons taking the same position, a group African
Americans taking the liberal position by expressing opposition to Lott, or a group of
racially ambiguous persons taking the same liberal position. The scenario which
expressed opposition to Lott, criticized the Senator’s comments praising Senator
Thurmond’s 1948 presidential bid. Opposition to Lott is captured by statements such as:
Senator Lott’s comments were a "callous, calculated, endorsement of racial
segregation that has no place in the halls of Congress."
Lott's remarks were "divisive" and fit the "definition of a racist comment."
The scenario which expresses support for Lott attempts to remove any racial meaning
from Lott’s statements about Thurmond and redefine the comments as a simple jocular
celebration of a legendary man. Support for Lott in this condition is captured by the
following statements:
Senator Lott’s comments were simply a “lighthearted celebration of the 100th
birthday of legendary Senator Strom Thurmond and not an endorsement of
Senator Thurmond’s positions of over 50 years ago, but of the man and his life.”
…to label him a racist is wrong.
Convention