Meta Prejudice and Acculturation Attitudes: How Perceived Outgroup Dislike Shapes Preferences Toward Immigrant Acculturation in Finland

This study investigates the role of meta prejudice (majority group members’ perception that they are disliked by immigrants) in shaping Finnish acculturation preferences toward immigrants, specifically support for assimilation and integration. Drawing on Intergroup Threat Theory and the emerging literature on intergroup meta perceptions, we explore whether symbolic and realistic threats mediate the relationship between meta prejudice and acculturation attitudes. Using a sample of 604 native Finns, results from hierarchical regression analyses indicate that meta prejudice positively predicts support for assimilation and negatively predicts support for integration. Parallel mediation analyses reveal that both symbolic and realistic threats partially mediate the relationship between meta prejudice and support for assimilation. However, only realistic threat significantly mediates the relationship between meta prejudice and support for integration. These findings underscore the importance of meta perceptions and perceived intergroup threat in shaping public attitudes toward immigrant acculturation. The study offers theoretical and practical insights for improving intergroup relations and fostering more inclusive integration policies in increasingly diverse societies.