Mating Market Shock and Gendered Support for Ukrainian Refugees in Poland

Abstract

Gender-based differences in attitudes toward immigration have been overlooked in extant literature, yet a gender gap exists in refugee support, with women being more favorable than men. Exploring this gender gap can yield new insights regarding determinants of public attitudes toward immigration. In Poland, which currently hosts the largest number of Ukrainian refugees in the world, the gender gap in refugee support is reversed as women are less supportive of refugees than men, even though most Ukrainian refugees are women. We analyze data from four original surveys targeting nearly 12,000 respondents and find that self-interest shapes attitudes toward Ukrainian refugees. In particular, mating market competition — stemming from an influx of predominantly young and single Ukrainian women — lead native male respondents to view Ukrainian refugees more positively, while leaving female respondents relatively unaffected. Our analysis suggests that prevalent theories must account for gendered responses to immigration, and for the gender composition of the refugee population.

Keywords: refugees, immigration, mating competition, paternalism, Ukraine, Poland

JEL Classification: J3, J6