Document Type

Article

Publication Date

6-2018

Abstract

Immigrants, as a group, are frequently described in ways, such as vermin or disease, that portray them as less than human. This type of dehumanizing language leads to negative emotional responses and negative attitudes towards the dehumanized group. This paper examines how the dehumanization of immigrants influences immigration policy attitudes I use original experimental data to show that dehumanization leads to more negative immigration attitudes. I further find that these negative attitudes are mediated by the role of emotion. Dehumanization increases anger and disgust towards immigrants, which causes anti-immigrant sentiment.

Copyright Statement

Utych, S.M. "How Dehumanization Influences Attitudes Towards Immigrants", Political Research Quarterly, 71(2), pp. 440-452. Copyright © 2018, SAGE. Reprinted by permission of SAGE Publications. doi: 10.1177/1065912917744897

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