What do people in the UK and the US think about Africa? Do their perceptions reflect negative media portrayals? And if so, how do these stereotypes shape their behaviour and willingness to experience the continent through economic, cultural, and other opportunities?
These questions are at the heart of a new report titled Stereotypes About Africa in Britain and the United States: A Social-Psychological Study of Their Impact on Engagement with Africa. The research, a collaboration between Africa No Filter and the University of Bath, surveyed 1,126 participants in the UK and the US to explore how people think about Africa—and how those thoughts influence their interest in the continent’s products, cultures and broader engagement. An additional 863 US participants were surveyed to examine how negative views might be reshaped through positive narratives.
To our knowledge, the study represents the first data that shows that—beyond economic estimations of investments—stereotypes are directly responsible for the average UK and US individual’s lack of willingness to engage with African products and cultures.
Findings show that perceptions of Africa are significantly more negative than those of Europe. Participants commonly associated Africa with poverty, corruption, and being uncivilised, while Europe was linked to wealth, beautiful architecture and modern infrastructure. Africa was also overwhelmingly associated with nature and wildlife—reinforcing outdated colonial tropes that obscure the continent’s societal progress and cultural vibrancy. However, the study found that introducing positive, accurate information about Africa—rather than simply challenging negative stereotypes—can meaningfully shift perceptions and increase interest in African products and cultures.
The report was authored by Dr Adam Hahn, Ileri Akinnola, Faith Adeyemi, Dr Marleen Stelter, Dr Iniobong Essien, Tal Moran and Dr Colin Smith. Here are the key findings from the report:
- Society and economy in Africa are defined by corruption and political instability: Participants believed Africa to be politically unstable with widespread government corruption and dictatorship. On the other hand, Europe was seen as progressive and liberal. Sentiments about Africa’s economy were equally negative, associating the continent with poverty and food shortages, while Europe was lauded for playing a significant role in the global economy.
- Thoughts about Africa were less positive: Thoughts about Africa were less positive than thoughts about Europe, with 57.9% of participants’ answers in the Africa condition falling into the category of “Animals and Nature”. Only 16.8% of responses about Europe were about wildlife. That means that a majority of the thoughts that participants listed about Africa had no reference to humans, societies or civilisation at all.
- Nature in Africa is associated with harsh conditions: The proportion of responses within the nature category that referred to Africa as uninhabitable and harsh was significantly larger for Africa, with a participant commenting that Africa is “very hot and potentially dangerous for health. In comparison, Europe was noted for its pleasant nature and varied landscapes.
- Negative stereotypes influence willingness to buy African products: Analyses of purchase intentions and cultural interest revealed that differences in willingness to buy products from Africa versus Europe were entirely explained by two factors: participants’ own negative thoughts and their beliefs about how often themes like societal problems, cultures, and travel come to mind when thinking about Africa. Interestingly, while many participants associated Africa with natural beauty, this was unrelated to purchase intentions. In practical terms, this means that if two people hold equally positive views of Africa and Europe and associate them with similar levels of societal issues, cultures and travel appeal, they are equally likely to buy products from both regions.
- Cultural interest wasn’t linked to stereotypes about societal problems: Instead, lower interest in African cultures compared to European cultures was driven by the negativity of people’s thoughts about Africa and how much they associated Africa with cultures and travel. Remarkably, our analysis showed that when these beliefs were accounted for, the trend reversed. This means that if two people have similarly positive or negative views of Africa and Europe, and associate both equally with cultures and travel, they would actually be more interested in African cultures than European cultures.
Notably, over half (57.9%) of the responses about Africa mentioned wildlife or nature, with many describing the continent as hot, dangerous or uninhabitable. In contrast, Europe was associated with modernity, architecture and pleasant landscapes. Africa’s society and economy were linked to corruption, instability, and poverty, while Europe was seen as stable and prosperous.
Furthermore, stereotypes linking Africa to political instability and poverty instead of culture and modernity were found to directly explain respondents’ reduced interest in African goods and cultural experiences.
“This report shows that Africa still exists as an abstract concept for many — one that is defined more by animals and hardship than by people, progress or potential,” said Dr Adam Hahn, lead researcher and senior lecturer in social psychology at the University of Bath. “It’s not just what people think, it’s how their thoughts shape what they do—including their willingness to buy African products or engage with African cultures.”
However, the report also presents a powerful insight: introducing positive and accurate narratives—not just correcting false ones—can meaningfully shift attitudes and increase interest in Africa’s cultures, travel and products.
“We now have hard data showing that the stories told about Africa—and the ones left untold—have real-world consequences,” said Moky Makura, Executive Director at Africa No Filter. “This research is a wake-up call and a roadmap. It tells us that we must go beyond economic data and media headlines—we must reframe how we talk about Africa to truly unlock its potential and opportunity.”
By focusing on the perceptions of everyday people, this research adds an important dimension to ongoing discussions about Africa’s place in the world. Beyond economics and media, it underscores the need for psychological insights to inform strategies for shifting public attitudes, fostering global connections, and ultimately, challenging the stereotypes that have long constrained Africa’s potential.
