Leiden University Student Repository

Amalia, Keisha (2026)

What is the Influence of Physiological Stress Responses on Attitudes towards Migration, and is this Moderated by Political Ideology?

Master thesis | Psychology (MSc)

Migration is divisive in contemporary politics, highlighting ideological differences. While political ideology has been studied in migration attitudes formation, physiological stress remains understudied, despite its influences on cognitions and emotions. The current study investigated whether physiological stress responses influence migration attitudes and whether political ideology moderates this effect. The Cold Pressor task was used to manipulate a challenge or a threat state, allowing experimental investigation on stress effects. It was hypothesized that a challenge state would elicit more positive migration attitudes, while a threat state would elicit more negative attitudes, with stronger difference among Leftists. A sample of 161 Dutch university students were recruited. Migration attitudes and political ideology were measured via questionnaires. Results showed no main effects of stress and no moderating effect of political ideology. Despite null effects, future research...Show moreMigration is divisive in contemporary politics, highlighting ideological differences. While political ideology has been studied in migration attitudes formation, physiological stress remains understudied, despite its influences on cognitions and emotions. The current study investigated whether physiological stress responses influence migration attitudes and whether political ideology moderates this effect. The Cold Pressor task was used to manipulate a challenge or a threat state, allowing experimental investigation on stress effects. It was hypothesized that a challenge state would elicit more positive migration attitudes, while a threat state would elicit more negative attitudes, with stronger difference among Leftists. A sample of 161 Dutch university students were recruited. Migration attitudes and political ideology were measured via questionnaires. Results showed no main effects of stress and no moderating effect of political ideology. Despite null effects, future research should continue integrating physiological stress and political ideology to better understand the formation of migration attitudesShow less

Author

Amalia, Keisha

Faculty

Faculty of Social & Behavioural Sciences

Specialisation

Social & organizational psychology

Supervisors

Ruthie Pliskin

ECTS Credits

20

Language

en