“Threatening Others”: National Identity and Group Threats Predict Immigration Policy

Abstract

AbstractThe present research examines the relationship between national identity, perceived group threats, and immigration policy. Across two studies, we examine how patriotism (an arguably critical form of national identity) and nationalism (an ethnocentric and dominance‐oriented form of national identity) predict strong stances on immigration policy (Studies 1 and 2). Furthermore, does the inclusion of symbolic threat (Studies 1 and 2) and realistic threat (Study 2) decrease the relationship between different forms of national identity and immigration policy? One of the key findings across the two studies is that symbolic threat reduces the relationship between nationalism and immigration policy but not between patriotism and immigration policy. The findings extend previous research by providing evidence that symbolic threat (e.g., immigrants are changing what it means to be American) underpins the relationship between nationalism and immigration policy.