College students’ perceptions of television portrayals of Hispanics

Based on questionnaire responses from 381 undergraduate students, this study sought to examine perceptions of Hispanics on television. Results revealed that college students perceive Hispanics portrayals on television are mainly stereotypical and often highlight negative perceptions (e.g., lazy and ill-tempered). Students regarded Hispanics to be hardworking and to prioritize culture. Perceptions of Hispanic men were mainly controlling figures and Hispanic women were mostly caretaking characters. These findings suggest that television can affect the way college students view and possibly communicate with Hispanics.