unitedstatesofimmigrants-research

Relevant Research

Original Study

Kunst, J. R., Thomsen, L., Sam, D. L., & Berry, J. W. (2015). “We are in this together”: Common group identity predicts majority members’ active acculturation efforts to integrate immigrants. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 41(10), 1438-1453.

Summary

Our planet is now host to the greatest number of migrants in the history of humankind. Research shows that the best way for immigrants to adjust to their new home is to integrate, which means maintaining their heritage culture while also engaging with their adopted culture. Integration is hindered, however, when adopted-country residents fail to welcome and aid the newcomers.

How can Americans increase support for immigrants, and thereby ease their integration into U.S. society? The research of social psychologist Jonas Kunst and his colleagues offers two proven-effective techniques: a brief survey and a short reading, both of which emphasize the common immigrant identities of U.S.- and foreign-born Americans.

In this research, the scientists randomly assigned European-American adults to complete activities that portrayed different relationships between U.S.-born Americans and immigrants. In the first study, 102 participants completed one of two surveys or no survey (the control condition):

1. The common group survey (included in step 1 of this toolkit) portrayed U.S. citizens and immigrants as members of the same group.
2. The separate group survey portrayed U.S. citizens and immigrants as members of two distinct groups.

Next, the researchers gave each participant a surprise bonus payment, with the option to donate any portion of their payment to an organization that helps immigrants integrate into American society.

The researchers found that participants who completed the common group survey donated more money than did participants who completed the separate group survey or no survey. Participants who completed the common group survey also scored lower on a measure of prejudice toward immigrants and higher on a measure of support for integrating immigrants.

In a second study, Kunst and his colleagues randomly assigned 215 European Americans to read one of three paragraphs or to a fourth, no-paragraph control condition. The three paragraphs were:

1. The common group paragraph, (included in step 2 of this toolkit), which allegedly summarized a psychology article about the importance of celebrating our shared American identity.
2. The separate group paragraph, which allegedly summarized a psychology article about the importance of identifying only with one’s cultural subgroup.
3. The dual group paragraph, which allegedly summarized a psychology article about the importance of identifying with both a common national identity and one’s cultural subgroup.

Similar to Study 1, the researchers found that participants who read the common group paragraph donated more money to an immigrant-supporting group than did participants who read the separate group paragraph, the dual group paragraph, or no paragraph. Participants who read the common group paragraph also scored lower on a measure of prejudice toward immigrants and higher on a measure of support for integrating immigrants.

Why This Works

People like to help members of their own groups more than they like to help outsiders. Showing U.S.-born Americans that they and immigrants share a common identity makes the native-borns feel like they and immigrants belong to the same group, increasing U.S.-born Americans’ desire to aid immigrants.

When This Works Best

This intervention works best when the differences between U.S.-born Americans and immigrants are not emphasized. In another study by the same authors, people who thought about both the similarities and differences between native-borns and immigrants were not as motivated to help immigrants as were people who thought only about their similarities.

Additional Research

Lyons-Padilla, S., Gelfand, M. J., Mirahmadi, H., Farooq, M., & van Egmond, M. (2015). Belonging nowhere: Marginalization and radicalization risk among Muslim immigrants. Behavioral Science and Policy, 1(2), 1-12.

Nguyen, A. M. D., & Benet-Martínez, V. (2013). Biculturalism and adjustment: A meta-analysis. Journal of Cross-Cultural Psychology, 44(1), 122-159.

See Also

Video: The Science Behind the United States of Immigrants Toolkit (previously known as CommoNation)

Higher Ed Diversity and Inclusion Toolkits Collection

SPARQ Solutions Catalog: Help Immigrants by Showing How ‘They’ Are ‘We’