SNIDERMAN, Paul M.; HAGENDOORN, Louk; PRIOR, Markus <br/><br/>
Predisposing factors and situational triggers :  exclusionary reactions to immigrant minorities 

 - New York :  Cambridge University Press,  February 2004 
<br/><br/> This paper examines the bases of opposition to immigrant minoritiesin Western Europe, focusing on The Netherlands. The specific aim of this study is to test the validity of predictions derived from two theories - realistic conflict, wich emphazies considerations of economic well-being, and social identify, wich emphazies considerations of identify based on group membership. The larger aim of this study is to investigate the interplay of predisposing factors and situational triggers in evoking political responses. The analysis is based on a series of three experiments embedded in a public union survey carried outi in The Netherlands (n=2007) in 1997-98. Ther experiments, combined with paralell individual-level measures, allow measurement of the comparative impact of both dispositionally based and situationally triggered threats to economic well-being and to national identify at work. The results show, first, that considerations of national identify dominate those of economic advantage in evoking exclusionary reactions to immigrant minorities and, second, that the effect of situational triggers is to mobilize support for exclusionary policies above and beyond the core constituency already predisposed to support them.