Professor Jan Antfolk is awarded funds for the Stereotype-Matching Hypothesis in Asylum Claims project

Professor Jan Antfolk, the Psych-AID Principal Investigator, was recently awarded a research grant by the Research Council of Finland for a new project entitled “Experimental Tests of the Stereotype-Matching Hypothesis in Asylum Claims Based on Religious or Sexual Identity [ExClaim]!”. Collaborators on the projects include esteemed researchers in psychology, such as Prof. Lorraine Hope, Prof. Peter Nynäs, Asst. Prof. Tanja van Veldhuizen, Prof. Julia Korkman, Prof. Pekka Santtila, and Prof. Elina Pirjatanniemi

The ExClaim project is a 5-year funded project that runs from 2025 to 2029. The project aims to experimentally test the novel stereotype-matching hypothesis, which posits that asylum officials are more likely to find claims credible when they conform to their stereotypes, while rejecting truthful claims that contradict these stereotypes, regardless of the claims’ truthfulness. By using novel methodologies, the researchers seek to: “Uncover the psychological mechanisms through which stereotypes shape Refugee status determination decisions; Estimate the impact of stereotypes on the accuracy of RSD decisions and Identify training interventions to mitigate these effects”

Prof. Antfolk hopes that these funds will assist in improving asylum procedures and said, “Our research group is very excited to continue expanding its endeavors in the field of asylum law and psychology, with the ultimate aim of contributing to enhancing the integrity and fairness of asylum adjudications.”