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Perceptions of Discrimination: What Do They Measure and Why Do They Matter?

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  • Claudia Diehl
  • Elisabeth Liebau

Abstract

This study addresses the difficulty in linking ethnic discrimination and integration outcomes of immigrants in empirical research. Many of the existing studies look at the relationship between perceived discrimination and integration, but most are based on cross-sectional data. We argue that perceived discrimination should not be taken as an accurate indicator of actual experiences of discrimination, but rather as a partly subjective interpretation of often ambiguous situations. Reported perceptions may thus not only affect but also reflect integration outcomes. This analysis is one of the few that is based on longitudinal survey data (from the German Socio-Economic Panel) and looks into both the determinants and the consequences of perceived discrimination. Results suggest that PD does in fact reflect both exposure to discrimination and attributional processes. Perceived discrimination is generally and substantially lower in more integrated individuals. More detailed analyses reveal that this link is correlational in nature and to some extent group specific. For groups facing salient ethnic boundaries, integration does not come along with less perceived discrimination. In line with previous studies, our results show further that minorities’ structural integration into the labor market is unrelated to perceived discrimination but reflects, above all, individual resources, including language skills and social ties to majority members. There is some evidence that perceived discrimination reduces levels of identification with the receiving society.

Suggested Citation

  • Claudia Diehl & Elisabeth Liebau, 2017. "Perceptions of Discrimination: What Do They Measure and Why Do They Matter?," SOEPpapers on Multidisciplinary Panel Data Research 945, DIW Berlin, The German Socio-Economic Panel (SOEP).
  • Handle: RePEc:diw:diwsop:diw_sp945
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Diehl, Claudia & Liebau, Elisabeth, 2015. "Turning back to Turkey - or Turning the Back on Germany? Remigration Intentions and Behavior of Turkish Immigrants in Germany between 1984 and 2011," EconStor Open Access Articles and Book Chapters, ZBW - Leibniz Information Centre for Economics, vol. 44(1), pages 22-41.
    2. Phillip Connor & Matthias Koenig, 2013. "Bridges and Barriers: Religion and Immigrant Occupational Attainment across Integration Contexts," International Migration Review, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 47(1), pages 3-38, March.
    3. Mieke Maliepaard & Richard Alba, 2016. "Cultural Integration in the Muslim Second Generation in the Netherlands: The Case of Gender Ideology," International Migration Review, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 50(1), pages 70-94, March.
    4. James J. Heckman, 1998. "Detecting Discrimination," Journal of Economic Perspectives, American Economic Association, vol. 12(2), pages 101-116, Spring.
    5. Glenda Quintini, 2011. "Over-Qualified or Under-Skilled: A Review of Existing Literature," OECD Social, Employment and Migration Working Papers 121, OECD Publishing.
    6. Bosch, Mariano & Carnero, M. Angeles & Farré, Lídia, 2010. "Information and discrimination in the rental housing market: Evidence from a field experiment," Regional Science and Urban Economics, Elsevier, vol. 40(1), pages 11-19, January.
    7. Marianne Bertrand & Sendhil Mullainathan, 2004. "Are Emily and Greg More Employable Than Lakisha and Jamal? A Field Experiment on Labor Market Discrimination," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 94(4), pages 991-1013, September.
    8. Gert G. Wagner & Joachim R. Frick & Jürgen Schupp, 2007. "The German Socio-Economic Panel Study (SOEP) – Scope, Evolution and Enhancements," Schmollers Jahrbuch : Journal of Applied Social Science Studies / Zeitschrift für Wirtschafts- und Sozialwissenschaften, Duncker & Humblot, Berlin, vol. 127(1), pages 139-169.
    9. Benjamin Schulz & Lars Leszczensky, 2016. "Native Friends and Host Country Identification among Adolescent Immigrants in Germany: The Role of Ethnic Boundaries," International Migration Review, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 50(1), pages 163-196, March.
    10. Thomas Vroome & Maykel Verkuyten & Borja Martinovic, 2014. "Host National Identification of Immigrants in the Netherlands," International Migration Review, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 48(1), pages 76-102, March.
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    Cited by:

    1. Scholaske, Laura & Brose, Annette & Spallek, Jacob & Entringer, Sonja, 2019. "Perceived discrimination and risk of preterm birth among Turkish immigrant women in Germany," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 236(C), pages 1-1.

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