Date Available
4-30-2020
Year of Publication
2020
Degree Name
Master of Arts (MA)
Document Type
Master's Thesis
College
Arts and Sciences
Department/School/Program
Political Science
First Advisor
Dr. Mark Peffley
Abstract
Immigration is one of the most salient and divisive issues in the US and a host of other countries, with public opinion polarized and elites deadlocked on the issue. One limitation of research on immigration attitudes is the tendency for scholars to focus exclusively on dark motivations driving hostility toward immigrants rather than those leading to compassion and support for immigrants. Using 2016 American National Election Studies (ANES) data, I examine the relationship between attitudes towards immigration and several Big Five personality traits, focusing on Altruism. I find that personality traits, especially those related to Altruism, are crucial determinants of attitudes toward immigrants, even in the face of an array of controls for political predispositions and socio-demographic characteristics. I conclude with a discussion of why further research on more positive personality traits is every bit as important for understanding prosocial behavior as the usual focus on antisocial behavior.
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
https://doi.org/10.13023/etd.2020.229
Recommended Citation
Stafford, Kati Elizabeth, "Predicting Positive Attitudes toward Immigrants with Altruism" (2020). Theses and Dissertations--Political Science. 30.
https://uknowledge.uky.edu/polysci_etds/30
