German Hostility Toward Refugees: The Role of Sense of Safety, Political Views, and Psychological Distress

The arrival of refugees to Western Europe in recent years triggered controversial debates and hostility in many host countries. The current study aimed to explore selected predictors (namely, sense of safety, psychological distress, and political view) of hostility toward refugees in Germany, the country that absorbed the majority of refugees arriving in Europe. 1001 German adult participants completed an online survey. The findings revealed that a lower sense of safety, higher levels of psychological distress and right-wing political views were linked to greater hostility. The importance of understanding the antecedents of hostility toward refugees, their interplay, and recommendations for action are discussed.