Using the Transatlantic Trends Survey to study perceptions of immigrants, within countries, over time

This paper investigated the interplay between national policies and individual relationships, when it comes to perceptions of immigrants. Authors Kende et al. used five annual waves (2008-2013) of the Transatlantic Trends Survey, available from ICPSR’s member-funded archive. They analyzed a sample of over 27,000 non-migrants in nine countries across North America and Europe, using variables about both friendship and immigration. They combined the individual-level TTS data with country-level information on immigrant integration policies during the same time span. This allowed them to investigate changes in attitudes and policies over time within each country. Their main finding was that having personal friendships with immigrants clearly led to non-migrants feeling more positive toward immigrant groups. These personal friendships also acted as a shield against government policies becoming more negative toward immigrants. In short, societal inclusion through policy helped foster intergroup relationships, and once those relationships were established, negative policy environments had less impact on individual perceptions. More publications that analyze TTS data can be found on the series home page.

December 18, 2025