Story-Driven Insights: How Transitional Characters and Positive Role Models in Video Narratives Shape Outgroup Attitudes

This study reports the results of a pre-registered online experiment conducted with Qualtrics panelists (N = 927) to examine the persuasive effects of brief, professionally-produced video narratives aimed at reducing anti-immigrant prejudice. Drawing on narrative persuasion and inspiring media frameworks, the study explores how protagonist type—positive role model vs. transitional character—shapes identification with the protagonist and activates psychological insight, a transformative cognitive response linked to attitude change. A 3 (character type: control, transitional character, positive role model) × 3 (rumor type: “immigration increases crime,” “immigrants are taking our jobs,” “immigrants receive excessive public assistance”) between-subjects factorial design was used. Participants were exposed to short, professionally produced audiovisual narratives, each depicting a dramatized critical incident in which a negative rumor about immigrants was introduced and, depending on the condition, either confronted by the protagonist or left unaddressed (control). After viewing, identification, psychological insight, and outcome variables (e.g., attitudes toward immigrants) were assessed. Results show that modern racism moderated the effect of character type on identification: low-prejudice individuals identified more strongly with the positive role model, while high-prejudice individuals showed lower identification in both experimental conditions. Identification predicted psychological insight, which in turn mediated key outcomes such as liking the story, willingness to share it, and attitudes toward immigrants. These findings demonstrate that short video narratives can elicit character-driven insight and promote inclusive attitudes particularly among receptive audiences, but suggest that longer narratives may be needed for counterattitudinal audiences, thereby advancing understanding of how narrative-based interventions such as Entertainment-Education can counter prejudice.