Assessing the Explicit and Implicit Attitudes of Brazilians Toward Venezuelan Immigrants

Abstract

Abstract

Abstract Xenophobia involves the display of prejudiced, discriminatory, or aggressive behavior toward foreigners or individuals unfamiliar with the environment. According to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, approximately 130.8 million people, including 5.6 million Venezuelan citizens, are currently forcibly displaced, living in territories where they are foreigners. Institutional helplessness, rejection, and xenophobic behavior are often observed when they seek shelter. It is urgent to investigate this phenomenon to propose interventions aimed at preventing the emergence of this aversion and the worsening of xenophobic behaviors. This study examined 102 Brazilian individuals’ explicit and implicit xenophobic attitudes toward Venezuelan immigrants. Explicit attitudes were measured through a questionnaire, and implicit attitudes were evaluated by observing individuals’ differential response rates in a Functional Acquisition Speed Test (FAST). Results suggested explicit attitudes not marked by negative bias and implicit attitudes possibly negative biased, particularly among participants from cities that have welcomed more refugees. The study also revealed that questionnaire-measured lower xenophobia levels correlated with better performance in the FAST inconsistent block, which counteracts xenophobic bias. Stratified data allowed insights into how the environment may influence xenophobic bias, explicit and implicit attitudes, and how individuals with and without direct experience with refugees hold different opinions on related issues.