Is This Us? Perceived Realism and Learning Outcomes of Entertainment Media Portrayals of Transracial Adoption

ABSTRACT

Despite the increase in media portrayals of transracial adoption, little is understood about how viewers perceive these portrayals. Therefore, 36 interviews were conducted (20 with transracially adoptive parents and 16 with non-transracially-adoptive parents) to discover the perceived realism and learning outcomes of three entertainment transracial adoption portrayals. While transracially adoptive parents were generally more inclined to deem the clips realistic, the two groups reported similar elements of realism/unrealism. In line with social cognitive theory, several learning outcomes were reported by both groups of parents in addition to anticipated positive and negative effects of these portrayals. Results extend the applicability of perceived realism to transracial adoption portrayal and highlight nuances of social cognitive theory and the extended elaboration likelihood model among adoptive and biological parents.

KEYWORDS:

• Family portrayal
• perceived realism
• social cognitive theory
• transracial adoption

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Chelsea E. Moss

Chelsea E. Moss is a doctoral candidate in the College of Journalism and Communications at the University of Florida. Her research interests are at the intersection of family communication and entertainment media.

T. Franklin Waddell

T. Franklin Waddell is an Associate Professor in the College of Journalism and Communications at the University of Florida. His research interests are at the intersection of new technology and online storytelling including work related to automated news, the psychology of online comments, and the effects of social television.