Re-examining the Effectiveness of Perspective-Taking On Anti-immigrant Prejudice

• In Event: Perceptions, Attitudes, and Public Opinion on Migration

Abstract

Anti-immigrant attitudes are a threat to pluralist democracy. Existing work finds that perspective-taking techniques are potentially effective at reducing such attitudes and promoting pro-immigrant behaviors. This paper replicates and extends two pieces (Adida, Lo and Platas 2018; Williamson et al. 2021) employing perspective-taking techniques, making four primary contributions. First, using a high-powered and pre-registered experiment, we find that the results largely do not replicate. Second, we use a wider range of behavioral measures to test whether any observed changes are expressive or instead reflect sincere attitudinal and behavioral shifts, providing evidence for the former. Third, in line with suggestions in the literature, we test a variety of mechanisms connecting perspective-taking and inclusionary behavior towards immigrants, confirming that perspective-taking functions via increased empathy towards the outgroup. Finally, we employ a more comprehensive battery of attitudinal measures, showing that even when these treatments reduce anti-immigrant attitudes, they have no effect on immigration policy. In sum, this replication and extension advances our understanding of if, how, and for whom light touch interventions are successful in shifting immigration attitudes.

Authors

• James Fahey, University of Memphis

• Wayde Z.C. Marsh, University of Tennessee, Knoxville