Association between dimensions of national identity and immigration attitudes: A meta-analysis

Abstract

This meta-analysis focuses on the strength of association between four different national identity dimensions – national identification, national pride, nationalism, content of national identity – and pro-immigration attitudes. It seeks to provide systematic evidence on whether and to what extent there is a clash between efforts to strengthen national identity and create an accepting social environment for immigrant populations. The study collates and summarises evidence from 81 published and unpublished sources, 151 studies and 255 effect sizes. Drawing on random-effects meta-analysis models, we find statistically significant negative summary effect sizes of nationalism (Partial correlation coefficient (PCC) = −0.09, p < 0.001) and support for ethnic national identity criteria (PCC = −0.11, p < 0.001). The former is defined as the belief in superiority of one’s nation compared to others, and the latter relates to treating place of birth, ancestry, length of residence and religion as important national membership criteria. However, summary effect sizes of national identification, national pride, and support for civic national identity criteria were not statistically significant. The meta-regression models show that countries with a long immigration history (so-called settler societies) are characterised by a more positive association between national pride and pro-immigration attitudes than those for which immigration is a relatively new experience. We discuss the broader significance of these findings as well as offer potential future directions for the research field.