Contextual determinants of perceived immigrant related threat. A cross-cultural comparison of European and non-European countries

This paper analyzes the determinants of perceived immigration related threat or intergroup threat across countries, both European as well as non-European countries. It was hypothesized that people in vulnerable societal positions and people living in countries with large and heterogeneous immigrant groups and bad economic conditions show higher levels of threat feelings. In order to measure the perceived group level threat a composite measure containing five items is used. Using Multiple Group Confirmatory Factor Analysis, these five items were cross-culturally validated in all countries Furthermore, we applied hierarchical structural equation modelling on data from the European Value Study together with data of the Worldbank, resulting in a sample with only native residents of 41 countries (N=53 042). The outcomes of the analyses reveal that respondents who hold a vulnerable societal position (low educational level, low socio-professional status) display indeed more feelings of threat. Furthermore, also older people and people with low life satisfaction express more threat feelings. Mixed results were found for people with unemployment experience. On the country level, it was found that people living in countries with higher unemployment rates perceive less threat, a finding that contrasts existing literature. In a last step also cross level interactions were investigated, giving some more evidence that in countries with higher GDP per capita, the differences in threat perceptions for people with different levels of education and employment status grows smaller, while it grows larger among people with different educational backgrounds in countries with increased immigration.status: publishe