Shifting Attitudes Regarding Immigration in the U.S. During the COVID-19 Pandemic

American attitudes toward immigration have changed to be more negative since the COVID-19 pandemic began, but why? This podcast and Omeka exhibit dives into the cultural psychological variables that explain the shift toward negative attitudes regarding immigration. Certain ecological pressures evoke particular responses within specific cultural communities. The implications of parasite prevalence within a community will be explained as well as the development of the behavioral immune system, which is a cultural psychological adaption to living in areas of high parasite-prevalence - in this case, living during the spread of COVID-19 in the United States. The role of in-group and out-group bias will be explained regarding the threat of infection as well as the threat to resources. The abundance and scarcity of resources within a community, or in this case, a country influences attitudes toward immigration. As a result, the economic downturn will also be examined due to the increased unemployment rates caused by COVID-19. Resource scarcity versus resource abundance has additional evoked cultural responses such as contempt versus tolerance. When the U.S. is prospering and flourishing economically, American attitudes toward immigration are generally more positive. But in times of uncertainty and threat, American attitudes toward immigration shift to become more negative. This podcast and Omeka exhibit will shed some light on each of these psychological variables that explain this cultural phenomenon and will attempt to predict what will be seen in the years to come regarding American attitudes towards immigration.