Effects of refugees’ perceived forcedness, dehumanizing media portrayals, and perceived control on attitudes towards refugee integration in Canada and Germany.

• Applicant: Dr. Judith Knausenberger
• Subject Area: Social Psychology, Industrial and Organisational Psychology
• Term: Funded in 2019
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 426969512

In this project, I want to examine the effect of the perceived forcedness of refugees and dehumanizing media portrayals on the attitude towards refugee integration in Canada and German.Both Germany and Canada took in a large number of refugees in the past few years. These countries allow for an interesting comparison in attitudes towards refugee integration because of relevant differences in policies regarding refugees. In Canada, more refugees come to the country via the UNHCR refugee resettlement program and more people act as private sponsors for refugees than in Germany. Both aspects should lead to a higher perception of control over which refugees come to Canada compared to the perception of control in Germany. The perception of how strongly refugees were forced to leave their home country should also influence residents' perception of control over which refugees come to their country and also residents' perception how much control refugees themselves have about their current situation. Also dehumanizing media portrayals of refugees, e.g. by using words like "refugee wave" or "stream of refugees" should have a negative impact on residents' perceived control over the accomodation of refugees.Thus, I want to conduct two studies Canada and Germany in which I want to examine whether the factors "perceived forcedness of refugees" and "dehumanizing media portrayals" affect residents' perceived control differently in these two countries and how this in turn affects the attitude towards refugee integration.In the first study, I want to examine students in the laboratory in order to measure both explicit and implicit attitudes towards refugee integration and helping intentions towards refugees. In a second study, a more representative sample shall be examined online in order to replicate the results regarding the explicit attitudes in a non-student sample.I want to conduct this research at the Western University in London, Ontario in Canada because this gives me the opportunity to cooperate with Prof. Dr. Victoria Esses who is an outstanding expert in social psychological migration research. Victoria Esses is the director of the Western Centre for Research on Migration and Ethnic Relations and has conducted research on attitudes towards immigrants and immigration for over 20 years. Conducting this research in Canada also allows for the measurement of implicit attitudes in a laboratory with a Canadian sample.

• DFG Programme: Research Fellowships
• International Connection: Canada
• Host: Professorin Dr. Victoria Esses