Abstract
The increase in the number of displaced people due to climate change has raised serious questions about the degree to which communities will accept climate change refugees. The present study examines the effects of reason for becoming a refugee (climate change, economic reasons) and ethnicity (Indian, Rohingya) on empathy for the refugee and acceptance of the refugee into the community. The participants were 407 (35% female, 65% male) people who completed the study using MTurk in India. The results show participants report feeling a moderate degree of empathy and moderate concern for the refugee regardless of reason for becoming a refugee or their ethnicity. These findings suggest that there is moderate support for assisting refugees and that participants were not discriminating based on refugee status or ethnicity. Implications of the findings for policy are discussed.
Presenters
Darby GrafStudent, Progress Psychology, Western Washington University, Washington, United States Jonathan Loke
Student, Psychology of the Environment, Western Washington University, Washington, United States
Details
Presentation Type
Theme
Human Impacts and Responsibility
KEYWORDS
Climate Change, Refugee, India
