Yearly, over one million people seek asylum in the EU, many due to a persecuted sexual or religious identity. Despite clear legal criteria, it is difficult to decide whether to accept or reject such claims. Research shows that asylum officials rely on wrongful stereotypes about sexual and religious minorities, possibly leading them to accept claims that fit these stereotypes and reject those that do not, regardless of the claim's actual truthfulness. As deceitful claims might rest on the same stereotypes that asylum officials hold, such claims might be more readily accepted than truthful claims. Our project is the first to address this possibility by experimentally studying how asylum officials' stereotypes shape asylum decisions, how these stereotypes affect the accuracy of decisions, and identify strategies to reduce their influence. By counteracting the undue influence of stereotypes, the project aims to reshape national and international asylum practices.

2025

2029