Understanding American college students’ perceptions of Asians on television

Abstract Asian portrayals in the media can affect viewers’ beliefs about Asians in real life. Based on questionnaire responses from 429 undergraduate students, this study sought to examine college students’ perceptions of Asians on television. Participants were asked to identify television programs with Asian characters and to think about their perceptions regarding these programs. Findings from this study uncovered that college students’ perceptions of Asian representation in television media do indeed affect the way they perceive Asian Americans, further reinforcing stereotypical message perception and evaluations of Asians. These findings suggest that television can affect the way college students view reality regarding Asians.