The Development of a 9-Item Scale to Measure Anti-Immigrant Attitude toward the Middle East Refugees

Abstract

The aims of this research were (1) to develop a valid and reliable instrument for measuring an anti-immigrant attitude toward the Middle East refugees, (2) to test whether ethnic minority political exclusionism and national attachment and self-sacrifice will associate with the anti-immigrant attitude, and (3) whether the Right-wing authoritarianism (RWA) and Social dominance orientation (SDO) will associate with a hostile attitude toward the Middle East refugees. Confirmatory factor analysis of a 9-item self-report instrument for measuring the anti-immigrant attitude toward the Middle East refugees yielded a single factor underpinned by the components of the triangular theory of hate: passion (fear), the negation of intimacy (repulsion), and commitment (devaluation). Two structural models for prediction the anti-immigrant attitude toward the Middle East refugees were developed. Ethnic minority political exclusionism and national attachment and self-sacrifice were significant predictors of the anti-immigrant attitude. RWA and SDO were also significant predictors of the anti-immigrant attitude. Thus, it appears that a 9-item scale to measure an anti-immigrant attitude toward the Middle East refugees is a valid and reliable self-report instrument.

Keywords

• immigrants
• refugees
• middle east
• attitudes
• hate theory