Not only Competitive Threat but also Racial Prejudice: Sources of Anti-Immigrant Attitudes in European Societies

The article examines the role of prejudice toward racial and ethnic minorities in shaping attitudes toward immigrants across 19 European countries. Previous studies established that fear of competition (i.e., competitive threat) is likely to increase negative attitudes toward immigrants. Using data from the 2010 European Social Survey, we find that not only competitive threat but also racial prejudice toward non-European/non-White minority population is likely to increase negative attitudes toward all immigrants in Europe. Moreover, racial prejudice does not mediate the effect of competitive threat on anti-immigrant attitudes, but exert an independent additive effect. The impact of racial prejudice on attitudes toward immigrants tends to increase with the relative size of the non-European racial minority population in the country.