The issue of immigration is a central theme in contemporary political and public discourse globally. Increased international migration, driven by factors such as displacement, has led to growing concerns and anxieties within host societies. These concerns often manifest as perceived threats – both realistic (e.g., economic competition, strain on resources) and symbolic (e.g., perceived cultural changes, challenges to national identity) – as explained by the Integrated Threat Theory (ITT). These threat perceptions can significantly influence attitudes and prejudice towards immigrant groups. While traditional survey methods offer valuable insights into public opinion, they may be subject to biases like social desirability bias. Social media, on the other hand, provides a rich source of unfiltered data reflecting public discourse, but it may not be fully representative of the overall population. This study addresses these limitations by employing a mixed-methods approach, combining computational text analysis of social media data with a national survey in Singapore, a context characterized by high levels of immigration and a relatively controlled media environment. The study aims to understand the role of social media in shaping public attitudes towards immigrants in Singapore, exploring the interplay between social media use, perceived threats, cognitive ability, and the formation of negative emotions towards immigrant groups. The study focuses on Singapore because of its high immigrant population and its relatively controlled media environment. This controlled environment makes it easier to study the influence of social media compared to countries with more diverse and uncontrolled media landscapes. The specific research questions and hypotheses aim to clarify how social media interacts with individual characteristics and threat perceptions to shape anti-immigrant sentiment.

Existing literature highlights the use of social media data in understanding public opinion. Studies have employed computational text analysis to identify emotional tones and topical themes in online discussions about political issues and immigration. Research has explored the correlation between social media use and anti-immigrant attitudes, often within the framework of the Integrated Threat Theory (ITT). ITT posits that prejudice stems from perceived threats, both realistic (tangible threats) and symbolic (threats to cultural identity). Studies have shown that threat perceptions are often stronger for those with lower cognitive ability. However, existing research on this topic has often lacked a comprehensive multi-method approach, focusing either on social media data or surveys, potentially overlooking the complexities of the relationship between social media and attitude formation. This study bridges this gap by employing both qualitative and quantitative methods, thus providing a more robust and nuanced understanding of the issue.

This study employs a multi-method approach, combining computational text analysis of social media data with a national survey. **Study 1: Computational Text Analysis** This study analyzed social media posts and comments from various Singaporean online communities and Facebook pages between June 2018 and December 2018. Data collection involved using APIs and Python code to extract English posts mentioning immigrants. A dictionary of immigrant-related terms (including stereotypes and colloquialisms specific to Singapore) was used to identify relevant posts. Emotion analysis was conducted using two different lexicons: a Singlish Senticnet lexicon and the Linguistic Inquiry and Word Count (LIWC) tool. Topic modeling, specifically using Latent Dirichlet Allocation (LDA), was applied to identify the main themes in the discussions about immigrants. **Study 2: National Survey** This study involved a national survey of Singaporean citizens conducted online in February 2020. A power analysis determined a necessary sample size of 1036 respondents to account for potential data quality issues and ensure sufficient statistical power. The survey measured negative emotions towards three immigrant groups (American expatriates, Malays, and Indians) using a five-dimensional scale (contempt, disgust, anger, envy, jealousy). Social media use was assessed by measuring the frequency of various social media activities. Symbolic and realistic threat perceptions were measured using adapted scales validated in the Singaporean context. Cognitive ability was measured using an eight-item WordSum test. Traditional media usage (TV, radio, newspapers) and demographic variables were included as controls. **Data Analysis** Study 1 used Welch Two Sample t-tests to compare the emotional tone (positive and negative) in posts about immigrants versus posts about other topics. Study 2 used ordinary least squares (OLS) regression to predict negative emotions towards each immigrant group, considering social media use, threat perceptions, and cognitive ability. Mediation analyses (using the PROCESS macro) were conducted to assess the mediating roles of symbolic and realistic threat perceptions. Moderated mediation analyses further examined the moderating role of cognitive ability in these mediation relationships.

**Study 1:** The analysis of social media posts revealed that discussions about immigrants in Singapore were significantly less positive and significantly more negative than general social media discussions. Topic modeling identified several key themes in the discourse, including self-reference (comparisons between Singaporeans and immigrants), government policies, jobs and economic impact, crime and law, national security, and cultural habits. The majority of discussions focused on economic concerns (job competition and impact on the economy), reflecting realistic threat perceptions. **Study 2:** The national survey findings supported the following: * **H1:** Social media use was positively associated with negative emotions towards all three immigrant groups (American expatriates, Malays, and Indians). Traditional media use showed a negative correlation with negative emotions. * **H2 & H3:** Both symbolic and realistic threat perceptions significantly mediated the relationship between social media use and negative emotions towards all three immigrant groups. * **H4 & H5:** Cognitive ability significantly moderated the mediated relationship between social media use, threat perceptions (both symbolic and realistic), and negative emotions towards immigrants. The mediating effects of threat perceptions were stronger for individuals with lower cognitive abilities.

The findings from both studies provide compelling evidence for the role of social media in shaping attitudes towards immigrants in Singapore. Study 1 demonstrates the prevalent negative emotional tone and economic-centric concerns surrounding immigration in online discourse. Study 2 confirms and expands on this, showing that higher social media use correlates with increased threat perceptions and negative emotions, particularly among individuals with lower cognitive abilities. The mediating role of threat perceptions highlights the psychological mechanisms underlying this relationship. The moderating effect of cognitive ability suggests that individuals with lower cognitive abilities are more vulnerable to the influence of social media narratives, potentially leading to amplified prejudice. These results underscore the need for nuanced approaches to understanding the interplay between social media, individual differences, and the formation of prejudiced attitudes. It is crucial to note that this study does not establish causality, only correlations. Further research is needed to fully explore the potential for causal relationships between social media exposure and the development of anti-immigrant attitudes. The findings suggest that interventions targeting both media literacy and addressing individual cognitive biases might be effective in mitigating prejudice and promoting greater social harmony.

This multi-method study offers valuable insights into the complex relationship between social media, threat perceptions, cognitive ability, and anti-immigrant prejudice. The findings highlight social media's role in shaping public opinion, particularly in relation to perceived threats to economic well-being and national identity. The study emphasizes the importance of considering individual differences, especially cognitive ability, in understanding the susceptibility to biased social media narratives. Future research could explore longitudinal designs to investigate causality, delve deeper into specific types of social media content, and examine the effectiveness of interventions aimed at fostering media literacy and critical thinking.

This study has several limitations. Study 1 relies on social media data, which might overrepresent the views of a vocal minority and not fully capture the attitudes of the general population. The analysis was limited to English posts, potentially excluding perspectives from minority language speakers. Study 2, while using a national survey, is cross-sectional, preventing causal inferences. While efforts were made to mitigate these limitations through a multi-method approach, future research could address these issues through longitudinal studies, multilingual data analysis, and more nuanced measures of social media engagement and content consumption.