Intergroup Contact, Perceived Attitudes, and Immigrants’ Attitudes Towards Locals: The Case of Immigrants Living in Finland

Abstract

Research on immigrant-host attitudes in Finland has flourished significantly over the past two decades. However, most of this research has focused on Finnish attitudes towards immigrants. Studies that examine immigrants’ perception of the type of attitudes Finns have towards immigrants and immigrants’ own attitude toward Finns are hard to come by. This study examines the relationship between intergroup contact and the perception immigrants have about the type of attitudes Finns have towards immigrants. In addition, it further explores the extent to which the perception immigrants have of Finnish attitudes towards immigrants predicts immigrants’ attitudes towards Finns. In a sample of 104 immigrants and through the use of surveys, this study finds that positive contact experiences with Finns are positively related to favorable perceptions of Finnish attitudes towards immigrants, while negative contact experiences are negatively related to favorable perceptions of Finnish attitudes towards immigrants in Finland. In addition, the perception immigrants have of Finnish attitudes towards immigrants significantly predicted immigrants’ attitudes towards Finns. Implications and recommendations for future research are also discussed.