Prejudice against migrants: an individual or group-level social phenomenon?

The aim of this thesis is to contribute to theory that accounts for individual factor theories and social group membership theories in their role in the creation and maintenance of prejudice against migrants. The theories has neglected to account for the integration of these two strands of factors, a shortcoming that is addressed in this thesis. In the series of studies conducted for this thesis we asked how moral foundations, the need for cognitive closure, threat perception, national identification and situational uncertainty could determine prejudice against migrants. By conducting four correlational studies, two of which are cross cultural, in two different European Union states, we set out to understand the role of these factors and their relationship with prejudice against migrants. These studies indicate that the need for epistemic certainty, binding morality, threat perception, and in-group identification are related and together increase prejudice against migrants. These studies were conducted with the aim of enabling both academics and policymakers/public speakers to better understand the nuances of prejudice formation against migrants. The significance of this thesis is that it informs our theoretical understanding of how different theories that have been related to prejudice against migrants can be integrated and linked in relation to the body of knowledge on prejudice.