Sources of Discontent: Examining the Role of Information Provision, Race and Skill on U.S. Opinion Toward Immigration Open Access

Abstract

Despite a wealth of literature, the debate about the influence of economic and cultural concerns on public opinion regarding immigration remains inconclusive. This thesis provides the first experimental study of the relative influence of cultural and economic concern on opinion toward immigration, with a core emphasis on the role of information provision. The research design distinguishes between key immigrant characteristics, namely skill level and race, in both treatment and opinion questions. The results contribute to economic theory on anti-immigration sentiment and the role of information and policy priming, but find no significant results to support cultural concern theory. 

Table of Contents

Introduction - 1 

 

Overview of Literature - 4 

 

Economic Concern - 4 

 

Cultural Concern - 7 

 

Political Messaging - 10 

 

Theory & Hypotheses - 13 

 

Research Design - 15 

 

Results - 23 

 

Discussion- 33 

 

Conclusion - 37

 

Appendix: 

Appendix A: Qualtrics Survey Design - 41 

 

Appendix B: Tables & Figures - 48 

Table 1. Sample Demographic Data - 48 

 

Table 2. Multivariate Regression of Responses to “The U.S. accepts too many immigrants” for Respondents in the Low-Information Treatment - 50 

 

Table 3. T-Test of Means of Responses to “The U.S. accepts too many low-skilled immigrants” and “The U.S. accepts too many high-skilled immigrants” Across Information Treatment Groups - 51 

 

Table 4. Multivariate Regression: Hypothesis Four, Model 1 - 51 

 

Table 5. Multivariate Regression: Hypothesis Four, Model 2 - 52 

 

Table 6. Multivariate Regression: Hypothesis Four, Model 3 - 53 

 

Table 7. Calculations of Predicted Outcomes Relative to Constant (Model 3) - 54 

 

Figure 1. Outline of Treatment Stages - 55  

 

Figure 2. Plot of Regression Coefficients for Demographic Variables for Responses to “The U.S. accepts too many immigrants” (Low-Information Treatment) - 55

 

Figure 3. Hypothesis One: Mean of Responses to “The U.S. Accepts too many low-skilled immigrants” and “The U.S. accepts too many high-skilled immigrants” Across Both Information Treatments - 56 

 

Figure 4. Hypothesis Two: Mean of Responses to “The U.S. accepts too many low-skilled immigrants” and “The U.S. accepts too many high-skilled immigrants” Relative to Respondent Skill Level - 56 

 

Figure 5. Hypothesis Three: Mean of Responses to “The U.S. accepts too many low-skilled immigrants” and “The U.S. accepts too many high-skilled immigrants” Relative to Information Treatments - 57 

 

Figure 6. Hypothesis Three: Mean of Responses to “The U.S. accepts too many low-skilled immigrants” and “The U.S. accepts too many high-skilled immigrants” Relative to Respondent Skill Level & Information Treatments - 57 

 

Figure 7. Hypothesis Three: Plot of the Difference of Means for Immigration of Low and High-Skill, Relative to Respondent Skill Level & Information Treatments - 58 

 

Figure 8. “Big-Picture” Display of Responses to “The U.S. should accept more immigrants like the individual interviewed” - 58 

 

Figure 9. Hypothesis Four Regression Model 1 - 59 

 

Figure 10. Hypothesis Four Regression Model 2 – “Unlike” Race - 59 

 

Figure 11. Hypothesis Four Regression Model 3 -  60 

 

Appendix C: MTurk Batches - 61 

 

Appendix D: Variable & Command Codebook - 62 

 

References - 68 

 

 

About this Honors Thesis

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School	Emory College
Department	Political Science
Degree	B.A.
Submission	Honors Thesis
Language	English
Research Field	Political Science, General
Keyword	Information Provision Economic Concern Cultural Concern Immigration Public Opinion Experimental Survey Study
Committee Chair / Thesis Advisor	Reinhardt, Eric, Emory University
Committee Members	Oussama, Cherribi, Emory University Reingold, Beth, Emory University

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