Date of Award
4-16-2015
Document Type
Thesis
Degree Name
Journalism, MSMC
First Advisor
Gilbert Fowler
Committee Members
Lillie Fears; Sandra Combs
Call Number
ISBN 9781321666236
Abstract
This study was designed to learn how media and social interaction with Muslims has influenced students' perceptions of Muslims and the religion of Islam. A review of literature showed how perceptions had changed over time because how world situations and events. The research questions focused on student perceptions about Islam and Muslim people to see how mass media exposure and interaction with Muslims relate. A web survey was conducted in fall 2014 at a small, mid-American university. The survey resulted in 1,853 respondents who provided information about Muslims and knowledge of the teaching of Islam. Demographic data, along with a series of Likert statements were used to determine perceptions and knowledge of Muslims and the Islam religion. Students were asked to indicate how frequently they interact with Muslim people, situations in which those interactions take place and with what frequency, how they have received information about Muslims, and how Muslims are portrayed in media. The study found that participants who had Muslims friends or interacted with Muslims had positive perceptions while those who did not have Muslim friends or rarely interacted with Muslims had negative perception. Also, the study found that participants who spent more time with the Internet and movies had more positive perceptions of Islam and Muslims more than those who spent less time. Participants agreed that mass media depicted Islam and Muslims negatively.
Rights Management
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
Recommended Citation
Alotaibi, Saud Helal, "Arkansas State University Students' Perceptions of Islam and Muslims: The Effect of Media and Demographics" (2015). Student Theses and Dissertations. 716.
https://arch.astate.edu/all-etd/716
