The Interplay Between Economic Hardship, Anomie, and Conspiracy Beliefs in Shaping Anti-Immigrant Sentiment

Hattersley, Michael; Skipper, Yvonne; Douglas, Karen; Jolley, Daniel

Abstract

As hostility toward immigrants grows, it is essential to explore the psychological factors that contribute to anti-immigrant attitudes. Although the impact of economic hardship, societal anomie, and conspiracy belief on anti-immigration attitudes have all been individually studied, their combined impact remains underexamined. Across six studies (n = 3,643), we investigated how economic hardship and perceptions of societal decline (anomie) predict anti-immigrant attitudes about non-European immigrants, with anti-immigrant conspiracy beliefs as a potential serial mediator. Study 1a (n = 491, UK participants) found that both perceived and actual economic hardship predicted anti-immigrant sentiment (e.g., support for violence against non-European immigrants) through anomie and conspiracy beliefs, an effect replicated in Study 1b (n = 493, Irish participants). Study 2 (n = 760) used a quasi-experimental design and found that participants from UK postcode areas with higher income deprivation reported greater anomie, which was linked to belief in non-European immigrant conspiracy theories and anti-immigrant sentiment. Study 3a (n = 790, UK participants) confirmed these associations with experimentally simulated economic hardship in a virtual society; Study 3b (n = 321, participants from Ireland) replicated this effect. Study 4 (n = 788, UK) demonstrated that individuals experiencing economic hardship, when exposed to conspiracy content, reported significantly higher violent intentions toward immigrants and marginally higher non-violent intentions. Together, these studies, using diverse research designs, provide evidence that economic hardship and anomie may contribute to anti-immigrant sentiment, with conspiracy beliefs potentially mediating these relationships.

Citation

Hattersley, M., Skipper, Y., Douglas, K., & Jolley, D. (2025). The Interplay Between Economic Hardship, Anomie, and Conspiracy Beliefs in Shaping Anti-Immigrant Sentiment. Journal of Applied Social Psychology, https://doi.org/10.1111/jasp.70002

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: May 30, 2025
• Online Publication Date: Jun 12, 2025
• Publication Date: Jun 12, 2025
• Deposit Date: May 30, 2025
• Publicly Available Date: Jun 13, 2026
• Journal: Journal of Applied Social Psychology
• Print ISSN: 0021-9029
• Electronic ISSN: 1559-1816
• Publisher: Wiley
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/jasp.70002
• Keywords: Economic hardship; conspiracy theories; anomie; anti-immigrant sentiment; violence
• Public URL: https://nottingham-repository.worktribe.com/output/49562054
• Publisher URL: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/journal/15591816