The Interplay Between Economic Hardship, Anomie, and Conspiracy Beliefs in Shaping Anti-Immigrant Sentiment

Abstract

As hostility toward immigrants grows, it is essential to explore the psychological factors that contribute to anti-immigrant attitudes. Although the impact of economic hardship, societal anomie, and conspiracy belief on anti-immigration attitudes have all been individually studied, their combined impact remains underexamined. Across six studies (n = 3,643), we investigated how economic hardship and perceptions of societal decline (anomie) predict anti-immigrant attitudes about Non-European immigrants, with anti-immigrant conspiracy beliefs as a potential serial mediator. Study 1a (n = 491, UK participants) found that both perceived and actual economic hardship predicted anti-immigrant sentiment (e.g., support for violence against Non-European immigrants) through anomie and conspiracy beliefs, an effect replicated in Study 1b (n = 493, Irish participants). Study 2 (n = 760) used a quasi-experimental design and found that participants from UK postcode areas with higher income deprivation reported greater anomie, which was linked to belief in Non-European immigrant conspiracy theories and anti-immigrant sentiment. Study 3a (n = 790, UK participants) confirmed these associations with experimentally simulated economic hardship in a virtual society; Study 3b (n = 321, participants from Ireland) replicated this effect. Study 4 (n = 788, UK) demonstrated that individuals experiencing economic hardship, when exposed to conspiracy content, reported significantly higher violent intentions toward immigrants and marginally higher non-violent intentions. Together, these studies, using diverse research designs, provide evidence that economic hardship and anomie may contribute to anti-immigrant sentiment, with conspiracy beliefs potentially mediating these relationships.