Applying the “Contact Hypothesis” to
White Anglos’ Views About Latinos
and Immigration: Evidence From Five
Chicago-Area Communities
Marylee C. Taylor
The Pennsylvania State University
RESEARCH QUESTIONS
1)
When block groups are used to approximate
neighborhoods, do the mere-exposure/sharedspace predictions obtain, so that white Anglos
living in areas with more substantial Latino
presence report more positive attitudes about
Latinos, immigrants, and immigration? Or,
echoing the dominant finding in research on antiblack attitudes, do we see more negative Anglo
attitudes where Latinos are more numerous?
RESEARCH QUESTIONS
2) Do white Anglos reporting sustained
interaction with Latinos also claim to have
more positive views about Latinos across a
range of attitude dimensions? And does
any positive orientation found in this group
extend to questions about immigrants and
immigration?
RESEARCH QUESTIONS
3) Do white Anglos who report having at
least one immigrant as a discussion partner
have more positive views about Latinos,
immigrants, and immigration?
RESEARCH QUESTIONS
4) What views about Latinos, immigrants,
and immigration are held by Anglos who
claim to have a close relationship with an
undocumented immigrant?
RESEARCH QUESTIONS
5) Finally, does contact between Anglos and
Latinos of unequal status seem to work
against positive attitudes, as Allport’s
contact hypothesis suggests is should?
THE PREDICTORS -- FORMS OF
INTERGROUP CONTACT
LATINO POPULATION SHARE IN THE
BLOCK GROUP
The percentage of Latinos in the Anglo
respondents’ block group ranged from 1%
to 84%, with a mean of 37%.
THE PREDICTORS -- FORMS OF
INTERGROUP CONTACT
SUSTAINED INTERACTION WITH LATINOS
53% of Anglo workers report interacting with Latino
co-workers at least “almost every day.”
21% chat with Latino neighbors at least “almost every
day” (and another 24% “at least once a week”).
6% of Anglo respondents included at least one Latino
among their first-named partners for discussing important
matters.
THE PREDICTORS -- FORMS OF
INTERGROUP CONTACT
IMMIGRANT(S) NAMED AS IMPORTANT
DISCUSSION PARTNER
15% of respondents included at least one
immigrant in among their first-named partners for
discussing important matters.
THE PREDICTORS -- FORMS OF
INTERGROUP CONTACT
UNDOCUMENTED IMMIGRANT CLAIMED AS
CLOSE FRIEND/RELATIVE
8% of the respondents have an
undocumented immigrant as a “close” friend
or relative.
THE PREDICTORS -- FORMS OF
INTERGROUP CONTACT
LATINO IMMIGRANT HIRED AS HOUSEHOLD
WORKER
48% of the Anglo respondents have hired a
Latino immigrant to perform yard work,
housekeeping, or child care.
THE OUTCOMES – ATTITUDES ABOUT
LATINOS, IMMIGRANTS, AND
IMMIGRATION
“TRADITIONAL” OR “OLD FASHIONED” AVERSION AND STEREOTYPING
SOCIAL DISTANCE is a scale representing respondents’ “closeness” to Latinos in
relation to whites and their feelings about having a Latino marry into their
family.
AVERSION TO HEARING SPANISH registers respondents’ discomfort when Spanish
is spoken in public areas.
The single STEREOTYPING measure assesses views of how hard-working Latino
immigrants are.
LATINO IMMIGRANTS ARE LOCAL DETRIMENT is a three-item scale registering
beliefs that Latino immigrants harm the local quality of life, weaken the public
schools, and increase crime.
THE OUTCOMES – ATTITUDES ABOUT
LATINOS, IMMIGRANTS, AND
IMMIGRATION
“MODERN” ETHNOCENTRISM
RESENTMENT OF LATINO IMMIGRANTS is a scale representing
agreement with three statements that have an accusatory tone: Latino
immigrants don’t want to learn English, they push too hard for
immigrant rights, and they use too many government services. In
tone, these items echo measures of whites’ “racial resentment” of
blacks.
DENIAL OF DISCRIMINATION is a three-item scale assessing the view
that Latinos do not face discrimination in housing or schools, or from
the police. Earlier race relations research has found denial of
discrimination to be common among opponents of ameliorative policies
and programs.
THE OUTCOMES – ATTITUDES ABOUT
LATINOS, IMMIGRANTS, AND
IMMIGRATION
POLICY VIEWS
GET TOUGH ON UNDOCUMENTED IMMIGRANTS, the first measure of policy
opinion, is a five-item scale tapping support for stricter border enforcement,
raids, and deportation, and for immigration status checks by landlords and
police.
OPPOSE AIDING UNDOCUMENTED YOUTH is a two-item scale assessing
opposition to the DREAM Act and to charging undocumented college students
in-state tuition.
The FAVOR DECREASED IMMIGRATION RATE measure relies on a question about
whether the current rate should be increased, decreased, or kept in place.
Finally, as the sole measure representing intervention to aid immigrant
adaptation, OPPOSE SMALL BUSINESS ASSISTANCE taps opposition to
programs that help immigrants start small businesses.
Table 1. Predicting SOCIAL DISTANCE
b
Model 1
Constant
SUSTAINED INTERACTION
Model 2
Constant
SUSTAINED INTERACTION
Education
Age
Gender
Model 3
Constant
SUSTAINED INTERACTION
Education
Age
Gender
LATINO POPULATION SHARE
+ p < .10
* p < .05
Std. Error
-.066
-.444***
.044
.061
.294
-.460***
-.017
-.002
-.017
.298
.063
.017
.002
.089
.005
-.482***
-.007
-.002
-.020
.333
.064
.018
.002
.088
* p < .01
* p < .001
.004+
.002
LATINO POPULATION SHARE
+
SOCIAL DISTANCE
+
_
SUSTAINED INTERACTION
Effects of LATINO POPULATION SHARE IN BLOCK GROUP
“TRADITIONAL” OR “OLD FASHIONED” AVERSION, STEREOTYPING
SOCIAL DISTANCE
AVERSION TO HEARING SPANISH **
STEREOTYPING – NOT HARD WORKING *
LATINO IMMIGRANTS ARE LOCAL DETRIMENT ***
“MODERN” ETHNOCENTRISM
RESENTMENT OF LATINO IMMIGRANTS ***
DENIAL OF DISCRIMINATION **
POLICY VIEWS
GET TOUGH ON UNDOCUMENTED IMMIGRANTS
OPPOSE AIDING UNDOCUMENTED YOUTH
FAVOR DECREASED IMMIGRATION RATE *
OPPOSE SMALL BUSINESS ASSISTANCE *
* p < .05
** p < .01
*** p < .001
Controlling on Age, Gender, and Education.
In all cases, this “shared space” contact is associated with more negative attitudes.
Effects of SUSTAINED INTERACTION WITH LATINOS
“TRADITIONAL” OR “OLD FASHIONED” AVERSION, STEREOTYPING
SOCIAL DISTANCE ***
AVERSION TO HEARING SPANISH **
STEREOTYPING – NOT HARD WORKING
LATINO IMMIGRANTS ARE LOCAL DETRIMENT **
“MODERN” ETHNOCENTRISM
RESENTMENT OF LATINO IMMIGRANTS ***
DENIAL OF DISCRIMINATION *
POLICY VIEWS
GET TOUGH ON UNDOCUMENTED IMMIGRANTS ***
OPPOSE AIDING UNDOCUMENTED YOUTH ***
FAVOR DECREASED IMMIGRATION RATE ***
OPPOSE SMALL BUSINESS ASSISTANCE
* p < .05
** p < .01
*** p < .001
Controlling on Age, Gender, Education, and Block Group %Latino.
In all cases, contact is associated with more positive attitudes.
Effects of IMMIGRANT(S) NAMED AS IMPORTANT DISCUSSION PARTNER
“TRADITIONAL” OR “OLD FASHIONED” AVERSION, STEREOTYPING
SOCIAL DISTANCE **
AVERSION TO HEARING SPANISH **
STEREOTYPING – NOT HARD WORKING
LATINO IMMIGRANTS ARE LOCAL DETRIMENT *
“MODERN” ETHNOCENTRISM
RESENTMENT OF LATINO IMMIGRANTS
DENIAL OF DISCRIMINATION *
POLICY VIEWS
GET TOUGH ON UNDOCUMENTED IMMIGRANTS
OPPOSE AIDING UNDOCUMENTED YOUTH
FAVOR DECREASED IMMIGRATION RATE
OPPOSE SMALL BUSINESS ASSISTANCE
* p < .05
** p < .01
*** p < .001
Controlling on Age, Gender, Education, and Block Group %Latino.
In all cases, contact is associated with more positive attitudes.
Effects of UNDOCUMENTED IMMIGRANT CLOSE FRIEND/RELATIVE
“TRADITIONAL” OR “OLD FASHIONED” AVERSION, STEREOTYPING
SOCIAL DISTANCE ***
AVERSION TO HEARING SPANISH ***
STEREOTYPING – NOT HARD WORKING
LATINO IMMIGRANTS ARE LOCAL DETRIMENT ***
“MODERN” ETHNOCENTRISM
RESENTMENT OF LATINO IMMIGRANTS **
DENIAL OF DISCRIMINATION **
POLICY VIEWS
GET TOUGH ON UNDOCUMENTED IMMIGRANTS ***
OPPOSE AIDING UNDOCUMENTED YOUTH ***
FAVOR DECREASED IMMIGRATION RATE ***
OPPOSE SMALL BUSINESS ASSISTANCE *
* p < .05
** p < .01
*** p < .001
Controlling on Age, Gender, Education, and Block Group %Latino.
In all cases, contact is associated with more positive attitudes.
Effects of LATINO IMMIGRANT HIRED AS HOUSEHOLD WORKER
“TRADITIONAL” OR “OLD FASHIONED” AVERSION, STEREOTYPING
SOCIAL DISTANCE *
AVERSION TO HEARING SPANISH
STEREOTYPING – NOT HARD WORKING *
LATINO IMMIGRANTS ARE LOCAL DETRIMENT
“MODERN” ETHNOCENTRISM
RESENTMENT OF LATINO IMMIGRANTS
DENIAL OF DISCRIMINATION
POLICY VIEWS
GET TOUGH ON UNDOCUMENTED IMMIGRANTS
OPPOSE AIDING UNDOCUMENTED YOUTH
FAVOR DECREASED IMMIGRATION RATE
OPPOSE SMALL BUSINESS ASSISTANCE
* p < .05
** p < .01
*** p < .001
Controlling on Age, Gender, Education, and Block Group %Latino.
In all cases, contact is associated with more positive attitudes.
Applying the “Contact Hypothesis” to White Anglos’
Views About Latinos and Immigration: Evidence From
Five Chicago-Area Communities
Marylee C. Taylor
The Pennsylvania State University