Is a newcomer to the town accepted less than a local? The role of autochthony belief and place attachment

Abstract In many Western European communities, distinctions between newcomers and established residents shape perceptions of who truly belongs. We investigated whether people in the Netherlands are more willing to include a male co‐resident in local participation if he is born in the same town, and how this interacts with ethnicity. We hypothesized that reactions to the protagonist would depend on two orientations towards place: endorsement of autochthony belief—the idea that places belong to firstcomers—and place attachment. In two vignette experiments, native Dutch participants ( N 1 = 599; N 2 = 455) evaluated a description of a fictitious resident whose place of origin and ethnicity varied, while his involvement in community life was held constant. Participants were equally accepting of locals and co‐ethnics. However, those with strong autochthony beliefs were less accepting of newcomers than of locals (both studies) and of ethnic minority members than of co‐ethnics (Study 1). Place attachment was positively related to acceptance of the protagonist regardless of his place of birth and ethnicity. These findings suggest that exclusionary responses are linked primarily to endorsement of autochthony beliefs rather than newcomer status itself, highlighting the importance of distinguishing autochthony belief as an exclusive and place attachment as an inclusive lens.