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Cited by 173Social and Intergroup PsychologyMigration, Refugees, and IntegrationRacial and Ethnic Identity Research

Attitudes toward unauthorized immigrants, authorized immigrants, and refugees.

Murray, Kate E., Marx, David M.·2013·Cultural Diversity & Ethnic Minority Psychology
DOI 10.1037/a0030812
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Abstract

Rates of human migration are steadily rising and have resulted in significant sociopolitical debates over how to best respond to increasing cultural diversity and changing migration patterns. Research on prejudicial attitudes toward immigrants has focused on the attitudes and beliefs that individuals in the receiving country hold about immigrants. The current study enhances this literature by examining how young adults view authorized and unauthorized immigrants and refugees. Using a between-groups design of 191 undergraduates, we found that participants consistently reported more prejudicial attitudes, greater perceived realistic threats, and greater intergroup anxiety when responding to questions about unauthorized compared with authorized immigrants. Additionally, there were differences in attitudes depending on participants' generational status, with older-generation participants reporting greater perceived realistic and symbolic threat, prejudice, and anxiety than newer-generation students. In some instances, these effects were moderated by participant race/ethnicity and whether they were evaluating authorized or unauthorized immigrants. Lastly, perceived realistic threat, symbolic threat, and intergroup anxiety were significant predictors of prejudicial attitudes. Overall, participants reported positive attitudes toward refugees and resettlement programs in the United States. These findings have implications for future research and interventions focused on immigration and prejudice toward migrant groups.

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  • There are more prejudicial attitudes toward illegal than toward legal immigrants in the United States.

    “Murray & Marx (2013) similarly find more prejudicial attitudes toward “illegal” than toward “legal” immigrants in the United States.”

    From Prejudice and Discrimination Toward Immigrants (2021) · cites this paper as Murray & Marx 2013

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Cited by

Sorted by citations

Authors
Murray, K. E., & Marx, D. M.
Affiliations
San Diego State University (US)
ORCID
Venue
Cultural Diversity & Ethnic Minority Psychology
Publisher
American Psychological Association (APA)
Published
2013-07
Volume
19
Issue
3
Pages
332-341
ISSN
  • 1077-341X (ISSN-L)
  • 1939-0106
  • 1099-9809
DOI
10.1037/a0030812
OpenAlex
W2142574856
Cited by
173
References
0
Citations by year
2026: 6 · 2025: 11 · 2024: 25 · 2023: 11 · 2022: 13 · 2021: 29 · 2020: 17 · 2019: 23 · 2018: 9 · 2017: 11 · 2016: 8 · 2015: 7 · 2014: 1 · 2013: 1
FWCI
9.49
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
closed
Locations
  • Cultural Diversity & Ethnic Minority Psychology (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • QUT ePrints (Queensland University of Technology) (submittedVersion)
  • Faculty of Health; Institute of Health and Biomedical Innovation
Funders
National Cancer Institute Minority Institution/Cancer Center Partnership Program (#U54CA132384 and #U54CA132379)
Topics
  • Social Sciences › Sociology and Political Science › Social and Intergroup Psychology
  • Social Sciences › Sociology and Political Science › Migration, Refugees, and Integration
  • Social Sciences › Sociology and Political Science › Racial and Ethnic Identity Research
Keywords
attitudes toward immigrants, undocumented immigrants, refugees, prejudice, symbolic threat, intergroup anxiety, generational differences, race and ethnicity, young adults, refugee resettlement programs
MeSH terms
Adolescent, Adult, Anxiety, Asian, Attitude, Black or African American, Emigration and Immigration, Female, Hispanic or Latino, Humans, Male, Prejudice, Refugees, United States, Cohort Effect, Linear Models, White People, Emigrants and Immigrants, Young Adult

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