Exploring the difference: Immigrant peers and the imagination of natives

Citation

Alanis-Amaya, Ana & Vargas-Silva, Carlos (2024). Exploring the difference: Immigrant peers and the imagination of natives. International Migration.

Abstract

Using data for the United States, we explore how interactions with immigrants during school age affect imagination during adulthood for native children. The analysis uses The National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent to Adult Health survey and focuses on the impact of differences in the number of immigrants across cohorts within schools. Results suggest that exposure to immigrant classmates has positive effects on the long-term imagination of natives. Increasing the number of immigrants in the grade by 20 students, would increase the likelihood of reporting a high level of imagination during adulthood by three percentage points. We suggest that the effect is not coming via direct friendship with immigrant students, but through increasing exposure to diverse ideas and experiences.

URL

https://doi.org/10.1111/imig.13254

Keyword(s)

Immigrants

Reference Type

Journal Article

Journal Title

International Migration

Author(s)

Alanis-Amaya, Ana
Vargas-Silva, Carlos

Year Published

2024

Edition

March 15, 2024

DOI

10.1111/imig.13254

Reference ID

10353