Dignity Beliefs: A Lab Experiment with Venezuelan Migrants and Colombians

• In Event: Immigrant Political Behavior

Abstract

How do migrants perceive host citizens’ stereotypes and bias about them? And how do those perceptions shape migrants' own behaviors? This project seeks to understand the decision-making process of civilians experiencing displacement events, and how considerations about dignity shape that process. We argue that migrant hold second order beliefs; that is, they are cognizant of host citizens' stereotypes against them. Migrants' experiences of loss of dignity, powerlessness, and marginalization may drive them to make choices that seem irrational based on simple cost-benefit calculations. We argue that they are not irrational if they are reacting to restore status and dignity. In August 2023, we conducted behavioral lab experiments in Bogotá, Colombia with local Colombians and Venezuelan migrants. By varying the amount of information on partners' nationalities, we are able to identify bias against outgroups. We expect that when player identities are known, we will find bias against Venezuelans by Colombian players, but no bias or even more generosity towards Colombians by Venezuelan players. These findings would imply that Venezuelans act against their own self-interest in order to counteract prevalent negative stereotypes about laziness and reliance on welfare.

Authors

• Margaret E. Peters, University of California, Los Angeles

• Daniel Rojas, University of British Columbia

• Yang-Yang Zhou, Dartmouth College