From stigmatized immigrants to radical right voting: A multilevel study on the role of threat and contact

Details

Serval ID
serval:BIB_A95368F314DD
Type
Article: article from journal or magazin.
Collection
Publications
Institution
Title
From stigmatized immigrants to radical right voting: A multilevel study on the role of threat and contact
Journal
Political Psychology
Author(s)
Green  Eva G. T., Sarrasin  Oriane, Baur  Robert, Fasel  Nicole
Publication state
Published
Issued date
2016
Peer-reviewed
Oui
Volume
37
Pages
465–480
Language
english
Abstract
This study examines the interplay between presence of stigmatized immigrants, threat, and intergroup contact that underlies radical right voting (voting propensity and actual district-level vote results). On the one hand, low-status immigrants are often stigmatized and depicted as threats. Thus, presence of stigmatized immigrants should heighten threat perceptions, thereby increasing radical right voting. On the other hand, as positive contact with stigmatized immigrants is known to reduce anti-immigrant prejudice, it should also attenuate radical right voting. As predicted, multilevel path analyses with the Swiss Election Studies 2011 data (N = 1,736 respondents in 136 districts) revealed that the proportion of stigmatized immigrants (from former Yugoslavia and Albania) in districts heightened perceived threat. Threat perceptions, in turn, increased propensity to vote for the Swiss People's Party, the major radical right party. In contrast, experiencing positive, everyday contact with former Yugoslav and Albanian immigrants reduced voting propensity through attenuated threat perceptions. Contact and threat perceptions were also related to the actual vote through voting propensity.
Create date
13/07/2015 7:20
Last modification date
20/08/2019 15:13
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