(Mis)Perceptions, attitudes, and preferences for immigrant integration: Evidence from a survey experiment

We conduct online surveys in Spain. We use a professional survey company to recruit participants to ensure that our sample is representative of the national population in key dimensions such as gender, age, education level, and region. The survey is only open to non-immigrant residents in Spain between the ages of 18 and 65.

2023-05-19

2023-05-29

Misperceptions of immigrants' characteristics (size, origin, educational attainment, and use of public resources), views on immigration policies, views on predistribution policies, and views on redistribution policies focusing on labor market policies.

Misperceptions in our study refer to discrepancies between perceived and actual statistics related to immigrants, including their demographic size, country of origin, educational attainment, and use of public resources (such as unemployment payments and medical ).

Views on immigration policy are measured by responses to a series of questions that explore preferences regarding the level of immigration, whether the government treats immigrants and natives equally, eligibility criteria for benefits, the timing of citizenship and voting rights, and the point at which immigrants are considered integral members of the country.

Regarding views on predistribution and redistribution policies, respondents expressed their preferences by answering several questions. These include their preferences for predistribution and redistribution policies as the main tools for reducing immigrant-native gaps in economic, labor, and social integration. Language courses, qualification certification, and personalized employment itineraries are pre-distribution policies that improve immigration labor market opportunities. Financial transfers like social assistance and scholarships reduce inequality and poverty under redistributive policies.

Our study examines Spanish native immigration perceptions and preferences using a robust experimental design. To ensure sample representativeness, participants provide income, foreign-born relative relationships, educational attainment, employment status, media consumption, and political preferences. After personal information, 2/3 of the sample will be randomly assigned to an information intervention (Treatment 1 or Treatment 2). The goal is to determine if immigration perceptions cause immigration policy support. This experimental approach seeks to understand how factual information affects native-born respondents' attitudes and preferences and the complex mechanisms behind immigration perceptions and policy support. We examine misperceptions about immigrant population size, demographics, socioeconomic characteristics, labor market outcomes, education, and social welfare use. Native perceptions of immigration's effects on labor markets, welfare states, and cultural security are studied.The study suggests why immigrants and natives perform differently in the labor market. We compare the importance of factors unrelated to immigrants (discrimination, institutional barriers) and those related to them (lack of effort, cultural differences, required skills). We also examine natives' migration policy preferences, distinguishing entry and labor integration policies. The analysis shows native support or opposition to predistributive and redistributive policies, revealing their views on immigration and labor market interventions.

Our study uses a robust experimental design to comprehensively investigate native perceptions and preferences regarding immigration in Spain. Participants provide essential demographic information to ensure the representativeness of the sample, including income, relationships with foreign-born relatives, educational attainment, employment status, media consumption, and political preferences. Following the initial personal information, 2/3 of the total sample will be randomly assigned to receive an information intervention (Treatment 1 or Treatment 2). The goal is to assess the causal relationship between perceptions of immigration and support for immigration policies. This experimental approach aims to determine how factual information influences the attitudes and preferences of native-born respondents and to unravel the complex mechanisms behind immigration perceptions and policy support. We assess misperceptions about the size, demographic composition, and socioeconomic characteristics of the immigrant population, including labor market outcomes, educational attainment, and reliance on social welfare programs. The research extends to the native population's perceptions of the impact of immigration on labor markets, the welfare state, and cultural security. The study presents possible reasons for the differential performance of immigrants and natives in the labor market. We assess the importance respondents attach to factors unrelated to immigrants (e.g., discrimination, institutional barriers) and factors related to their characteristics (e.g., lack of effort, cultural differences, required skills). In addition, we examine the preferences of natives for migration policies, distinguishing between entry policies and labor integration policies. The analysis includes support or opposition to both predistributive and redistributive policies, providing a nuanced understanding of the native population's stance on various aspects of immigration and labor market interventions.

Respondents are randomly assigned to control and treatment groups by the Netquest (independent survey company) software.

We randomize participants in control and treatment groups within each of the quotas (gender, age, educational level, and region).

No

3,200 respondents

3,000 respondents

1,000 respondents received Information Treatment 1, 1,000 respondents received Information Treatment 2, and 1,000 respondents received no treatment.