Losing Empathy With Assimilation: Immigrants' Attitudes Toward Other Immigrants in Europe

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ABSTRACTAccording to cultural assimilation theories, immigrants generally tend to adopt the values and attitudes of the native population, as seen in areas such as gender equality, religiosity, and trust. This study analyzes immigrants' attitudes toward immigrant groups using European Values Study data, finding strong evidence for cultural assimilation. Overall, immigrants initially exhibit more positive attitudes toward immigrants than natives, but these attitudes become increasingly negative across generations and with longer settlement periods. Muslim migrants show some exceptions to this trend while still displaying signs of assimilation. Additionally, the influence of education on attitudes increases among second‐generation migrants, mirroring patterns seen in the native population. These findings strongly support cultural assimilation theory, suggesting a broad and general process even in attitudes toward immigrants.