Polarization in attitudes towards refugees and migrants in the Netherlands

Abstract This research investigated whether and to what extent Dutch society is polarized in its attitudes towards refugees and migrants. We further investigated what factors were linked to polarization by testing an integrated three‐dimensional model. A latent profile analysis of a representative Dutch sample ( N = 1897) suggested that society is indeed polarized, with two substantial groups—anti (16.5%) and pro (18.7%)—at opposite ends. The middle was also divided into people with critical (31.8%) and lenient (33%) attitudes. The three dimensions of our model, (1) the individual and social s... Mehr ...

Verfasser: Albada, Katja
Hansen, Nina
Otten, Sabine
Dokumenttyp: Artikel
Erscheinungsdatum: 2021
Reihe/Periodikum: European Journal of Social Psychology ; volume 51, issue 3, page 627-643 ; ISSN 0046-2772 1099-0992
Verlag/Hrsg.: Wiley
Schlagwörter: Social Psychology
Sprache: Englisch
Permalink: https://search.fid-benelux.de/Record/base-26850925
Datenquelle: BASE; Originalkatalog
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Link(s) : http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/ejsp.2766

Abstract This research investigated whether and to what extent Dutch society is polarized in its attitudes towards refugees and migrants. We further investigated what factors were linked to polarization by testing an integrated three‐dimensional model. A latent profile analysis of a representative Dutch sample ( N = 1897) suggested that society is indeed polarized, with two substantial groups—anti (16.5%) and pro (18.7%)—at opposite ends. The middle was also divided into people with critical (31.8%) and lenient (33%) attitudes. The three dimensions of our model, (1) the individual and social self (education, political orientation, relative deprivation), (2) perceptions and experience regarding refugees and migrants (perceived cultural distance and contact), and (3) the societal context (societal discontent), were all significantly associated with polarized attitudes. Interestingly, perceived cultural distance from Islam was most strongly linked to polarized attitudes. Organizing different factors into an integrated model offers new insights into the complexity of polarization in society.