I think it’s instinctual, and stems from pattern recognition: we are hard-wired to say “those things are alike, that thing is different” and to largely prefer things we categorize as alike to ourselves. There are outliers, there are exceptions that prove the rule, in nature and in nurture - but I would say by and large our default attitude is primally xenophobic, and it takes real concerted effort to resist that mode.
Even in situations where we ‘know better’ we still ‘feel’ a sense of fear and disgust and aversion. Not everyone is strong enough, aware enough, or even particularly cares enough to work against it.
