A latent profile analysis of Germans' threat perceptions, intergroup emotions and attitudes toward refugees

Members of receiving societies respond differently to arriving refugees. Person-centered factors can affect the level of perceived threat by refugees, the intensity of intergroup emotions, and attitudes toward refugees. However, it is largely unknown whether members of receiving societies display distinct profiles reflecting the co-occurrence of cognitive-affective-attitudinal responses and person-centered antecedents toward refugees.

The current study used latent profile analysis to examine distinct response profiles of Germans without migration background (N = 910). Participants completed a cross-sectional online survey, covering threat perceptions, intergroup emotions (anxiety, hope, anger, happiness), attitudes toward refugees, and person-centered antecedents (identity as German, intercultural contact, cognitive empathy).

Four latent profiles with distinct cognitive-affective-attitudinal response patterns and antecedents were identified. The Threatened Angry (13.1%) displayed highly intense response patterns and low intercultural contact experiences. The Hopeful Approachable (28.6%) combined low threat perceptions with more intense positive emotions and attitudes. The Ambivalent (41.4%) displayed moderate, yet ambivalent response patterns. The Ambivalent and Anxious (16.9%) largely resembled the Ambivalent profile, but reported higher intergroup anxiety and more intercultural contact experiences.

Knowledge about different response patterns may inform the development of intervention programs and information campaigns with group-specific approaches, aiming to potentially lower threat perceptions, raise positive emotions, and address attitudes within this population. In addition, encouraging positive contact experiences between the German majority population and refugees could foster a more differentiated assessment of refugees.