Abstract: The successful management of refugee immigration, including refugee integration in host societies, requires a sound understanding of underlying psychological processes. A model of the Psychological Antecedents of Refugee Integration (PARI) is proposed, highlighting perceived forcedness (i.e., coercion and loss of control from “push” factors) and ensuing perils (risks and potential suffering during migration) as distinctive factors of refugee (vs. voluntary) migration. According to our model, perceptions and subjective representations of forcedness and associated perils activate specific psychological processes relevant to refugee integration and thus moderate responses to the demands and stressor of the immigration situation. We conceptualize these distinctive influences for integration-relevant processes in both refugees and in residents. By pinpointing the unique features of refugee migration, PARI generates novel and  specific  hypotheses  about  psychological  processes predicting refugee integration. For instance, refugees’ memories of forcedness and associated perils should lead to high preoccupation with the restoration of basic needs after arrival in a receiving country, which interferes with integration-related activities. Conversely, residents’ perceptions of forcedness and related perils may enhance empathy with refugees, but may also magnify feelings of anxiety and threat. Social and political implications will be discussed.

About the Speaker: Gerald Echterhoff is Professor of Social Psychology at University of Münster, Dean of the Faculty of Psychology and Sports Science, and Fellow of the Academy of Sciences and Arts of North Rhine-Westphalia. His research passions span basic social cognition, complemented by social neuroscience, shared reality, motivation in social and political contexts, affective responses, interpersonal and intergroup processes, and issues critical to societal cohesion (forced migration, refugee integration, collective representations, radicalization). The range of these  endeavors is rooted in my fascination for the pursuit and advancement of knowledge about how humans think, feel and respond to the world, especially in the company of others. 

We look forward to your active participation.