An Experimental Test of Stereotype Congruency in Credibility Assessments of Sexual Orientation Asylum Claims

Abstract

Previous research has highlighted a concerning reliance on stereotypes in assessing credibility of asylum claims based on sexual orientation. To experimentally examine the mechanisms behind this, 383 participants evaluated a realistic asylum casefile paired with a picture of an asylum seeker digitally altered to present either stereotype-congruent (feminine gay men, masculine lesbians) or stereotype-incongruent (masculine gay men, feminine lesbians) features. We further examined the roles of social perception dimensions—warmth, competence, and moral character—and individual differences in social dominance orientation (SDO). Contrary to expectations, stereotype congruence did not influence credibility. As predicted, perceived moral character was the strongest predictor of credibility, highlighting the importance of trust-related traits in credibility assessments. Competence negatively predicted credibility, perhaps reflecting suspicion that capable applicants are deceptive, while warmth and SDO showed no association with credibility. Future research should use more salient manipulations of stereotype-congruence to better capture its role in refugee status determinations.