AN EXAMINATION OF INFLUENCES LEADING TO AMERICANS ENDORSEMENT OF THE POLICY OF FREE-TRADE

The authors explore influences on Americans' endorsement of free trade in general, the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) in partic ular. Work in the behavioral sciences suggests the value of using cons tructs that express the nature of persons' orientation toward their ow n and other countries to explain their willingness to endorse these co ncepts. On this basis, the authors created a model that features paths of influence leading to the two Endorsement constructs. They subjecte d survey data from 240 respondents to structural equation analysis to test the model. The results, using total effects, show that Endorsemen t of free trade in general and NAFTA in particular are related negativ ely to Ethnocentrism, Nationalism, Prejudice, and Image of Mexicans, a nd positively related to Education. These findings hold implications f or policymakers who seek to sway public opinion about international tr ade; they also suggest implications for further research into the subj ect.