Journal of Social Issues
Volume 74, Issue 4, 2018, Pages 674-699

Identity Inclusiveness and Centrality: Investigating Identity Correlates of Attitudes toward Immigrants and Immigration Policies (Article) (Open Access)

Espinosa A.* , Guerra R. , Sanatkar S. , Paolini S. , Damigella D. , Licciardello O. , Gaertner S.L.
  • a Department of Psychology, The City College of New York, United States
  • b Instituto Universitário de Lisboa ISCTE-IUL, Centro de Investigação e Intervenção Social, (CIS-IUL), Portugal
  • c School of Psychology, The University of Newcastle, Australia
  • d School of Psychology, The University of Newcastle, Australia
  • e Department of Educational Sciences, University of Catania, Italy
  • f Department of Educational Sciences, University of Catania, Italy
  • g Department of Psychological Brain Sciences, University of Delaware, United States

Abstract

Social psychology highlights ingroup identity as an important determinant of intergroup attitudes and relations; however, research has demonstrated that its effects can be positive, negative, or nonexistent depending on how such identity is conceptualized. This research explores how national identity inclusiveness (Study 1) and centrality (Study 2) are associated with immigration related attitudes in school and countrywide settings, respectively. Study 1 showed that teachers’ inclusive (i.e., overlapping) identities regarding their immigrant students related to positive attitudes toward these students, but not to attitudes about immigrants in general or immigration policy preferences. Study 2 found that national identity centrality was related to negative attitudes toward the social impact of immigrants, and to higher support for policies inhibiting the social inclusion of immigrants in the receiving community. Combined, these studies highlight the importance of considering different conceptualizations of ingroup identity in identifying relations to immigration-based attitudes. Moreover, the studies highlight the value of promoting inclusive identities when aiming to improve attitudes toward immigrants. We conclude by discussing a new approach for promoting inclusive identities by framing immigrants as indispensable to the receiving community. © 2018 The Society for the Psychological Study of Social Issues

Author Keywords

[No Keywords available]

Index Keywords

national identity public attitude immigration policy immigrant
Link
https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-85056422791&doi=10.1111%2fjosi.12293&partnerID=40&md5=d2acdac216b7e58993d5e1541205ce16
DOI: 10.1111/josi.12293
ISSN: 00224537
Cited by: 6
Original Language: English