Perceived Competence and Agreeableness Predict Positive Behaviors toward Mexican Immigrants: Less Acculturated Hispanics are more Welcoming of Immigrants

Wars, political unrest and economic instability displace millions of people yearly. The resettlement of these masses has given rise to anti-immigrant sentiments in the U.S. and abroad with governments threatening to take harsher actions to limit immigration (Quintero,2017; Sunstein,2016). We tested whether people would feel and treat immigrants differently as a function of their skills using the Stereotypic Content Model as a framework (Cuddy,Fiske,et.al.,2008). Immigrants bring with them varied skills, which may or may not compete with those of people in a host country (Moore, 2017). Thus, some immigrants may be perceived as non-threatening. Five hundred seven participants were randomly assigned to read one of four vignettes about a Mexican immigrant who was either highly skilled or not and who held skills that would or would not compete with those of Americans. Participants then rated how they would feel and act toward the immigrant. Our results showed that immigrants perceived as non-threatening were assessed with less Disgust (M=2.15,SD=1.44vs.M=2.54,SD=1.69), and greater Admiration (M=4.88, SD=1.50vs.M=4.48,SD=1.77) than the threatening immigrants. Highly skilled competent immigrants were more admired (M=5.24,SD=1.54vs.M=4.03,SD=1.54), envied (M=3.14,SD=1.54vs.M=2.15,SD=1.22), helped (M=5.28,SD=1.32vs.M=4.91,SD=1.40), and less excluded (M=2.05,SD=1.22vs.M =2.55,SD=1.40) compared to their low skilled counterparts. Agreeableness was significantly linked with Admiration (r(427)=.207, p<.001), Sympathy (r(426) =.263,p<.001), Helping (r(428)=.290,p<.001), and less Exclusion (r(427)=-.194,p<.001) of immigrants. Finally, the less Acculturated Hispanics were more likely to Admire (r(129)=-.260, p<.001), Help (r(129)=-.314,p<.001), and Associate (r(129)=-.306,p<.001) with immigrants. Discrimination against immigrants was negatively linked Agreeableness and tempered by the degree to which an immigrant was perceived as competent and non-threatening. Acculturated Hispanics were less welcoming of immigrants. Comments by political leaders to generalize and prefer immigrants of certain countries over others may not be shared by the citizenry who vary in their views and may be more receptive of immigrants, as these findings attest. These and other explanations are proposed.