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An authoritarianism-compatible text changes British attitudes towards EU immigration
Tessa Buchanan1, David J Young2, James Ackland2
1Political Psychology Lab, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK. Tmb72@cam.ac.uk.
Scientific Reports
|September 12, 2025
Summary
Exposure to authoritarianism-compatible texts can positively influence British attitudes towards EU immigration. This study shows persuasion is possible on contentious immigration issues, especially with culturally similar immigrants.
Area of Science:
- Social Psychology
- Political Science
- Migration Studies
Background:
- Immigration remains a significant political issue, particularly in election years.
- Understanding factors influencing public attitudes toward immigration is crucial for policy and social cohesion.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate if exposure to a specifically framed text can alter British attitudes towards immigration.
- To examine the effectiveness of authoritarianism-compatible arguments in persuasion.
Main Methods:
- A study involving 3067 participants representative of the UK population (age, education, gender, politics).
- Participants were exposed to one of three texts: a control, a low authoritarianism text, or an authoritarianism-compatible text.
- Attitudes towards EU immigration and perceived shared values with a fictitious EU immigrant were measured.
Main Results:
- Participants exposed to the authoritarianism-compatible text reported feeling greater shared values with an EU immigrant and held more positive views on EU immigration compared to the control group.
- While overall immigration attitudes showed some change, differences between the authoritarianism-compatible and low authoritarianism texts were not significant.
- The findings suggest authoritarianism-compatible framing may be particularly effective for immigration from culturally similar groups.
Conclusions:
- Persuasion on contentious issues like immigration is achievable through targeted messaging.
- Authoritarianism-compatible arguments show potential efficacy in influencing attitudes, especially for culturally proximate immigration scenarios.
- The study highlights the nuanced impact of framing on public opinion regarding immigration.
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