Between fearmongers and Samaritans: Does information provision affect attitudes towards the right of asylum in Germany?

Abstract

We utilise data from a self-designed survey that includes information experiments to elicit the German public's attitude towards the right of asylum. The survey was carried out in 2018. We randomly assign 2048 interviewees to different groups and ‘treat’ each group with different information about the asylum seekers that came to Germany in 2015 and 2016. Treatments involve information about (i) the total number of asylum seekers, (ii) the fiscal costs and (iii) potential long-term benefits associated with accepting refugees, (iv) the share of Muslim asylum seekers and (v) the share of war refugees. Providing information about the fiscal costs associated with accepting refugees, and, to a lesser extent, about the share of Muslim refugees, significantly increases the likelihood of opposing the right of asylum. These effects are more pronounced for middle-income earners, respondents with a low level of education and female respondents. Deviations of people's beliefs from the actual numbers can affect their attitudes: Respondents who underestimated the share of Muslim refugees are more likely to call for abolishing the right of asylum.