Immigration Attitudes and Subjective Well-Being: A Matter of Identity?

Heinz Welsch, Philipp Bierman and Jan Kühling
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Philipp Bierman: University of Magdeburg
Jan Kühling: University of Oldenburg

Journal of Happiness Studies, 2021, vol. 22, issue 4, No 2, 1563-1581

Abstract: Abstract Drawing on previous literature that has found individuals’ subjective well-being (SWB) to be correlated with social and political attitudes, we study the relationship between individuals’ attitudes towards immigration and their SWB. We treat immigration attitudes as an aspect of individuals’ self-image and hypothesize that, through a mechanism of moral satisfaction, greater immigration-friendliness is associated with greater SWB (H1). We further hypothesize that greater disparity of immigration attitudes yields social antagonism and as such is associated with less SWB (H2). Finally, we hypothesize that the SWB benefit (if any) from immigration-friendliness increases in the disparity of the respective attitudes, as greater disparity permits individuals to differentiate themselves from others, thus contributing to their sense of identity (H3a). Alternatively, the SWB benefit from immigration-friendliness (if any) may increase in the degree of consensus (lack of disparity), as greater consensus may indicate the existence of a social norm, conformity with which yields SWB through social approval (H3b). Using 227,596 observations from 35 European countries, 2002–2018, we find multivariate correlational relationships consistent with H1, H2 and H3a.

Keywords: Subjective well-being; Life satisfaction; Attitudes; Immigration; Identity; Antagonism (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: D63 D74 F22 I31 Z13 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (6)

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DOI: 10.1007/s10902-020-00284-y

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