2010/03/01 by Elisa Rustenbach · 337 citations
Social Sciences · Psychology · #Migration and Labor Dynamics #Migration, Refugees, and Integration #Social and Intergroup Psychology #Immigration #Competition (biology) #World Values Survey #Politics #Social capital #Interpersonal communication #Human capital #European Social Survey #Demographic economics #Investment (military) #Social psychology #Foreign direct investment #Survey data collection #Human capital theory #Political science #Sociology #Economics #Psychology #Economic growth #Social science
paper · doi:10.1111/j.1747-7379.2009.00798.x
published in International Migration Review 44(1), 53-77 (SAGE Publishing)
openalex publication_date 2010/03/01 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/07/21
In recent times, many nations are experiencing an increase in anti-immigrant attitudes on the part of natives. Most papers only explore one or two sources of anti-immigrant attitudes at a time, which provides an incomplete picture of the effects at work. This paper tests eight different explanations for anti-immigrant attitudes: cultural marginality theory, human capital theory, political affiliation, societal integration, neighborhood safety, contact theory, foreign investment, and economic competition. Analysis is conducted using combined data from the European Social Survey and Eurostat/OECD and individual-, regional-, and national-level predictors. Results indicate that key predictors of anti-immigrant attitudes are regional and national interpersonal trust, education level, foreign direct investment, and political variables.