Attitudes towards Immigration Explain Beliefs about Asylum Authorities and their Decisions

Whereas previous research has examined how national identity, social welfare, and security concerns shape public attitudes toward the asylum system and asylum applicants, less is known about the role of individual factors. Drawing on the theory of motivated cognition, we investigated how personal immigration attitudes, gender, and age shape beliefs about asylum authorities and their decisions. Using data from 255 respondents, we found that individuals with more lenient immigration attitudes view the asylum system as overly restrictive, believe that rejected claims are often incorrect, and tend to see asylum applicants as truthful. Conversely, those with more restrictive immigration attitudes perceive the system as too lenient, question the accuracy of accepted claims, and are more skeptical of asylum applicants. Gender and age also moderate these views, with men and older individuals typically expressing more skepticism. These findings highlight how ideology shapes public beliefs about asylum processes.