The determinants and political consequences of Latinos' perceived intra-group competition

Tensions between Latinos may undermine support for collective group interests. In this paper, we, first, examine the determinants of Latinos' perceived intra-group competition. We expected perceived intra-group competition to be shaped by Latinos' (1) personal economic status, (2) acculturation, (3) experiences with discrimination from co-ethnic members, (4) pan-ethnic identity, and (5) neighborhood conditions. Second, we explore how perceived competition influences their attitudes on policies that address shared group concerns. Using the 2006 Latino National Survey, our analysis shows that Latinos who experienced discrimination from co-ethnic members felt greater intra-group competition. Second, perceived competition is highest for Latinos who live in neighborhoods with large proportions of residents from their country of origin. Finally, Latinos who felt intra-group competition held more negative attitudes toward immigrants than those that perceived little competition.