Meta-analysis of attitudes towards migrants

with Nik Stoop, Peter van der Windt and Haoyu Zhai.

Since the early 2010s, social scientists have conducted (survey-) experimental studies that explore what factors drive public attitudes towards migrants to understand who provokes backlash and who is welcomed. We conduct a systematic meta-analysis building on 83 studies that experimentally vary migrant characteristics to assess attitudes towards migrants. The study has several findings: a) sociotropic concerns play a key role: individuals are more welcoming towards migrants that contribute to the economy through their professional occupation, education or language skills; this evidence is particularly strong in developed countries compared to developing countries, b) there is no evidence hosts evaluate migrants through the lens of egocentric economic concerns, c) cultural concerns are important; in particular a persistent anti-Muslim bias; d) humanitarian concerns also shape attitudes toward migrants; particularly towards those that are forcefully displaced in contrast to economic migrants.

You can find the working paper here.

Article: Weber, Sigrid, Nik Stoop, Peter van der Windt, and Haoyu Zhai. 2024. “A Meta-Analysis of Attitudes Towards Migrants and Displaced Persons”. Working paper