The polarizing impact of numeracy, economic literacy, and science literacy on attitudes toward immigration

TL;DR

This study shows that in a southern European city, individuals with higher numeracy, economic, and science literacy exhibit polarized attitudes toward immigration based on their political worldview, emphasizing socio-political factors over information levels.

Contribution

It reveals that higher literacy levels lead to polarization in immigration attitudes depending on political worldview, challenging information-based explanations.

Findings

Highly knowledgeable egalitarian individuals favor immigration.

Hierarchical-individualist individuals oppose immigration.

Less knowledgeable individuals show less polarization.

Abstract

Political orientation polarizes the attitudes of more educated individuals on controversial issues. A highly controversial issue in Europe is immigration. We found the same polarizing pattern for opinion toward immigration in a representative sample of citizens of a southern European middle-size city. Citizens with higher numeracy, scientific and economic literacy presented a more polarized view of immigration, depending on their worldview orientation. Highly knowledgeable individuals endorsing an egalitarian-communitarian worldview were more in favor of immigration, whereas highly knowledgeable individuals with a hierarchical-individualist worldview were less in favor of immigration. Those low in numerical, economic, and scientific literacy did not show a polarized attitude. Results highlight the central role of socio-political orientation over information theories in shaping attitudes toward immigration.