Multi-Item Scale:

Item Text:

b.) Immigrants are generally good for the German economy. [Zuwanderer sind im Allgemeinen gut für die deutsche Wirtschaft.]

Different Answer Format Tested:

Nein

Findings:

A total of five test persons stated that they could not answer item b) ("Don't know"). Four of these five test persons have difficulties with the interpretation of the term "immigrant", which they find too imprecise: "immigrant" is too general a term, one has to distinguish between different groups of immigrants. The following two quotations illustrate this problem:
  • „Depending on what kind of immigrants. 200,000 Spaniards with a degree, some training, that's an asset. But when 200,000 unemployed people come from Bulgaria who have no school education, then there is a lack of quality and that is not an enrichment, not even for the German economy. I cannot say, I do not know who is immigrating.“ (TP 09)
  • „I can't tell you at all, because I don't know. Because the term "immigrant" is too vague for me. Are they legal or illegal immigrants? All illegals are bad for us. We needed them, we got them. But illegals are first of all a cost factor.“ (TP 12)
The same difficulties with the general concept of "immigrants" arise - albeit to a lesser extent - in answering items (a) and (c). Here are two examples:
  • „The collective term of immigrants is the problem, some groups are like that, others are not. This cannot be said per se.“ (TP 10, Item a))
  • „How? That's nonsense [...] If a mechanical engineer comes from Spain, speaks perfect English and wants his 2,000 euros and I want my 4,000, then my job is taken away. It's true. It depends on the qualification. With a high qualification: yes. But there is also the other side.“ (TP 09, Item c))

Recommendations:

No changes recommended.

Question tested:

true