The “Malevolent” Benevolence: what happens to perceived immigrant threat when value priorities collide?

Abstract

ABSTRACT Personal values become increasingly relevant for immigrant-related bias in the European context. Situated in group conflict theories, human values theory and social identity theory encourage different interpretations of how our interest in the welfare of those closest to us, i.e. the in-group (benevolence), and the prosperity of all beings (universalism) inform attitudes towards immigrants. The present study examines how these self-transcending human values affect perceptions of immigrant threat. Using nationally pooled data from the European Social Survey (ESS) for fifteen European countries, the results show that benevolence and universalism tend to affect perceived immigrant threat in opposite directions. A part of individuals’ anti-immigrant bias does not stem from strictly self-interested motivations, as often proposed, but by a sense of loyalty to the interests of our immediate contacts. The group we place our loyalty matters. So does the national context suggesting that grand scheme interpretations can fall short.