S01E29 - Attribute Affinity: U.S. Natives’ Attitudes Toward Immigrants

The provided research investigates how shared social traits, a concept the authors call attribute affinity, can mitigate native hostility toward immigrants in the United States. While many scholars focus on economic or cultural threats as the primary drivers of anti-immigrant sentiment, this study highlights the independent power of in-group attraction. Through multiple experiments, the authors demonstrate that U.S. natives show a marked preference for immigrants who share their religious denomination. Most notably, the data reveals that high levels of religiosity can bridge cultural divides, significantly reducing bias against Muslim immigrants among highly observant non-Muslims. Ultimately, the paper suggests that recognizing common identities across different dimensions can override deep-seated prejudices and reshape public opinion on immigration.Citation:Berinsky, Adam J., Tesalia Rizzo, Leah R. Rosenzweig, and Elisha Heaps. 2020. “Attribute Affinity: U.S. Natives’ Attitudes Toward Immigrants.” Political Behavior 42(3):745–68. doi:10.1007/s11109-018-9518-9.