Immigration Article of the Day: Attitudes Toward Immigration and Immigrants: The Impact of Economic and Cultural Cues in the US and Canada

“Attitudes Toward Immigration and Immigrants: The Impact of Economic and Cultural Cues in the US and Canada” APSA 2011 Annual Meeting Paper ALLISON HARELL, Université du Québec à Montréal Email: harell.allison@uqam.ca STUART N. SOROKA, McGill University. SHANTO IYENGAR, Stanford University – Department of Communication.

ABSTRACT: Past research suggests that citizens’ attitudes toward immigration are driven, in part, by attitudes toward racial diversity. In this study, we draw on a unique online survey experiment conducted with representative samples of both Americans and Canadians to directly test this assertion. The analysis is based on a 2X2 experimental design embedded in a series of immigrant vignettes that vary the racial background and social status of an individual applying for immigration to the US/Canada. We examine the extent to which both racial and economic-status cues affect support for immigration. Results offer new and unique information on the structure of attitudes on diversity and immigration in the US and Canada.

KJ