Chapter 11 Coping with Social Stigma

compensation

form of stigma management, involves stigmatized people deliberately presenting to others behavior that contradicts the assumptions held about their abilities and character. Seeks to compensate for an inadequacy assumed by others to characterize a stigmatized person by presenting evidence to the contrary.

stigma heightens stereotyping

from others, leading to more negative assumptions about discrimination of stigmatized individuals, of oneself, leading to avoidance of stereotype -confirming situations and defensiveness toward majority group persons

stigma heightens anxiety

in others, leading to fewer and poorer social interactions in oneself, leading to more vigilance about, and less control over, one's behavior

self-concept

master status attribute-stigmatizing characteristic that all of a person's other abilities and qualities become subordinate to and colored by

consequences of stigma for physical well-being

negative events, negative feedback compromised psychological well being stress response to discrimination engaging in unhealthy behaviors as a form of coping

Physical consequences of stigma

poor health- occurs through -compromised psychological well-being -stress response to discrimination -engaging in unhealthy behaviors as a form of coping

positive consequences of stigma

positive responses can lead to negative effects -lower self esteem assumption of needing help positive response as motivated by selfish concern

Psychological consequences of stigma

self concept self esteem psychological distress

stigma consciousness

social consequences of stigma also accrue from the awareness that one is singled out by others based on an attribute that is negatively stereotyped/ example women not talking about sports with men/ latino students who are stigma conscious avoid academic challenges and end up with poorer grades than students who are not stigma conscious.

withdrawal

to simply avoid people who treat them stereotypically.

stigma management

way stigmatized people manage the rejection and disadvantage they face, we should not assume that redressing the social problem of stigma is best left to stigmatized individuals themselves. Can come in the form of educational campaigns from governing agencies to promote tolerance and reduce stereotypes

How can withdrawal from the nonstigmatized world increase one's acceptance and social opportunity?

1) associating with similarly stigmatized people should afford stigmatized individuals greater acceptance and more normal social interaction with those ingroups./ associating with in groups provides friendships, support, and a social context in one's stigma is a nonissue. 2) stigmatized people may realize greater acceptance and social opportunity in the nonstigmatized world through social and political activism. Minority an disadvantaged groups that press for change in society do have influence, and stimatized people can benefit from social and political power of their ingroup.

stigma can be reduced in 2 ways

1) the virtual identity- who stigmatized people are assumed to be by others-could be brought in line with the actual self view of those who are stigmatized. 2)is to align one's actual identiy with one's virtual identity. In other words, stigmatized persons could internalize and fulfill other's beliefs about them, thereby reducing the mismatch between who they really are and who they are in other's eyes.

strategies for coping with others' prejudice

1) withdrawal, 2) passing stigma management- individual strategies for coping with social stigma strategies for: gaining social acceptance protecting psychological well being

self promotion

In regards to managing the negative implications of stigma- self promotion-demonstrating to other people that you as a stigmatized person are multidimensional and competent in several domains. wheelchair athletes who play basketball or race in a marathon show non stigmatized world that they are comparable or even superior to non-stigmatized people in abillities or roles

NAAFA

National Association to Advance Fat Acceptance/ support group for overweight individuals.

strategies for protecting psychological well being

attributing negative outcomes to prejudice devaluing negative outcome dimensions making in group comparisons self affirmation mindfulness seeking social support

strategies for gaining social acceptance

capitalizing on stigma self promotion compensation

passing

concerns methods and strategies for concealing one's stigmatizing attribute or condition from others/ to pass is to be known by others as normal, as if you possessed no discrediting or discreditable attribute. Behaving so as not to draw other's attention to something we wanted to conceal. ex- student not wanting to read in class

consequences of stigma for psychological well being

discrimination can lead to poorer mental health and that can lead to poor physical health

covering

The pressure to cover is a new form of discrimination, covering is a response to stigma-hiding one's stigmatized identity from others

self-affirmation

a process where people build up their self worth when threatened by instead focusing on important, positive aspect of their self concept that has not been threatened / popular strategy / self affirmation interventions have people think, write or talk about personal value or about a time when they felt proud. Self affirmation can help restore's one's worth by shifting the focus to a different positive aspect of the self

master status attribute

all of a stigmatized person's other abilities and qualities will become subordinate to and colored by the master status attribute./ consequence is stigmatied people think of themselves in more sterotypical terms.