Keeping the vermin out: Perceived disease threat and ideological orientations as predictors of exclusionary immigration attitudes

• DOI: 10.1002/casp.1037
• Publication Date: 2010-04-30T09:29:49Z
• Authors: Eva G. T. Green; Franciska Krings; Christian Staerklé; Adrian Bangerter; Alain Clémence; Pascal Wagner‐Egger; Thierry Bornand
• Keywords: Social dominance orientation

Abstract Integrating evolutionary and social representations theories, the current study examines relationship between perceived disease threat exclusionary immigration attitudes in context of a potential avian influenza pandemic. This large‐scale provides realistic for investigating link attitudes. The main aim this cross‐sectional ( N = 412) was to explore mechanisms through which chronic contextual threats operate on Structural equation models show that (germ aversion) (assimilationist criteria, health‐based criteria desire reduce proportion foreigners) mediated by ideological normative beliefs (social dominance orientation, belief dangerous world), but not (appraisal pandemic threat). Contextual only predicted support criteria. conditions under real‐life influence intergroup are scrutinized. Convergence dissimilarity representational approaches accounting discussed. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.