There is growing recognition that stigma plays an important role in producing health disparities ... more There is growing recognition that stigma plays an important role in producing health disparities between members of socially advantaged and disadvantaged (marginalized) groups. This chapter defines stigma, describes differences among stigmatized marks, and discusses the functions that stigma may serve for individuals, groups, and societies. It also provides a conceptual model of the pathways by which stigma relates to health. This model posits that socially conferred marks that are devalued in society are the basis for four key stigma processes: enacted stigma, felt stigma, internalized stigma, and anticipated stigma. These stigma processes lead to stress and accompanying individual-level affective, cognitive, behavioral, and physiological responses, as well as to social and community-level exclusion from important domains of life that collectively have downstream negative consequences for health. This chapter provides an integrative overview of the chapters in the current volume and concludes with suggestions for future research on stigma and health.
There is no reason to accept the doctrines crafted to sustain power and privilege, or to believe ... more There is no reason to accept the doctrines crafted to sustain power and privilege, or to believe that we are constrained by mysterious and unknown social laws. These are simply decisions made within institutions that are subject to human will and that must face the test of legitimacy. And if they do not meet the test, they can be replaced by other institutions that are more free and more just, as has happened often in the past.
Periods of social mobility, such as attending college, can challenge one’s status-based identity,... more Periods of social mobility, such as attending college, can challenge one’s status-based identity, leading to uncertainty around one’s status in society. Status uncertainty is associated with poorer well-being and academic outcomes. Little is known, however, about what experiences lead to status uncertainty. The current longitudinal study investigated discrimination experiences and cultural mismatch as predictors of status uncertainty. We propose that discrimination indirectly predicts increased status uncertainty by increasing perceived cultural mismatch with the university. Participants were Latinx college students, all of whom were low-income and/or first generation to college. Discrimination experiences were measured at the end of participants’ first year. Cultural mismatch and status uncertainty were measured at the end of Year 2. Status uncertainty was measured again at the end of Year 3. Results indicated that students who experienced more frequent discrimination felt more cul...
Seven experiments explore whether organizational diversity initiatives heighten White Americans’ ... more Seven experiments explore whether organizational diversity initiatives heighten White Americans’ concerns about the respect and value afforded toward their racial group and increase their perceptions of anti-White bias. The presence (vs. absence) of organizational diversity initiatives (i.e., diversity awards, diversity training, diversity mission statements) caused White Americans to perceive Whites as less respected and valued than Blacks and to blame a White man’s rejection for a promotion on anti-White bias. Several moderators were tested, including evidence that Whites were clearly advantaged within the organization, that the rejected White candidate was less meritorious than the Black candidate, that promotion opportunities were abundant (vs. scarce), and individual differences related to support for the status hierarchy and identification with Whites. There was little evidence that these moderators reduced Whites’ perceptions of diversity initiatives as harmful to their racia...
Sleep has strong influences on affective and social experiences. However, less is known about the... more Sleep has strong influences on affective and social experiences. However, less is known about the reciprocal effects of sleep, affect, and social experiences at a daily level, and little work has considered racial/ethnic minorities at high risk for social disconnection and discrimination. A 7-day daily experience study assessed the bidirectional relationships between daily sleep quality, affect, social experiences, and overall well-being among a sample of Latinx undergraduates (N = 109). Each morning, participants reported on their previous night's sleep. Each evening, they reported their positive and negative affect, experiences of belonging and unfair treatment, and overall well-being that day. Results indicate that, at a daily level, sleep quality predicts next-day affect, belonging, and well-being. Reciprocally, only daily well-being predicts sleep quality. Findings highlight sleep as a potentially powerful antecedent of affective and social experiences likely to be particularly potent for underrepresented minority groups.
There is growing recognition that stigma plays an important role in producing health disparities ... more There is growing recognition that stigma plays an important role in producing health disparities between members of socially advantaged and disadvantaged (marginalized) groups. This chapter defines stigma, describes differences among stigmatized marks, and discusses the functions that stigma may serve for individuals, groups, and societies. It also provides a conceptual model of the pathways by which stigma relates to health. This model posits that socially conferred marks that are devalued in society are the basis for four key stigma processes: enacted stigma, felt stigma, internalized stigma, and anticipated stigma. These stigma processes lead to stress and accompanying individual-level affective, cognitive, behavioral, and physiological responses, as well as to social and community-level exclusion from important domains of life that collectively have downstream negative consequences for health. This chapter provides an integrative overview of the chapters in the current volume and concludes with suggestions for future research on stigma and health.
There is no reason to accept the doctrines crafted to sustain power and privilege, or to believe ... more There is no reason to accept the doctrines crafted to sustain power and privilege, or to believe that we are constrained by mysterious and unknown social laws. These are simply decisions made within institutions that are subject to human will and that must face the test of legitimacy. And if they do not meet the test, they can be replaced by other institutions that are more free and more just, as has happened often in the past.
Periods of social mobility, such as attending college, can challenge one’s status-based identity,... more Periods of social mobility, such as attending college, can challenge one’s status-based identity, leading to uncertainty around one’s status in society. Status uncertainty is associated with poorer well-being and academic outcomes. Little is known, however, about what experiences lead to status uncertainty. The current longitudinal study investigated discrimination experiences and cultural mismatch as predictors of status uncertainty. We propose that discrimination indirectly predicts increased status uncertainty by increasing perceived cultural mismatch with the university. Participants were Latinx college students, all of whom were low-income and/or first generation to college. Discrimination experiences were measured at the end of participants’ first year. Cultural mismatch and status uncertainty were measured at the end of Year 2. Status uncertainty was measured again at the end of Year 3. Results indicated that students who experienced more frequent discrimination felt more cul...
Seven experiments explore whether organizational diversity initiatives heighten White Americans’ ... more Seven experiments explore whether organizational diversity initiatives heighten White Americans’ concerns about the respect and value afforded toward their racial group and increase their perceptions of anti-White bias. The presence (vs. absence) of organizational diversity initiatives (i.e., diversity awards, diversity training, diversity mission statements) caused White Americans to perceive Whites as less respected and valued than Blacks and to blame a White man’s rejection for a promotion on anti-White bias. Several moderators were tested, including evidence that Whites were clearly advantaged within the organization, that the rejected White candidate was less meritorious than the Black candidate, that promotion opportunities were abundant (vs. scarce), and individual differences related to support for the status hierarchy and identification with Whites. There was little evidence that these moderators reduced Whites’ perceptions of diversity initiatives as harmful to their racia...
Sleep has strong influences on affective and social experiences. However, less is known about the... more Sleep has strong influences on affective and social experiences. However, less is known about the reciprocal effects of sleep, affect, and social experiences at a daily level, and little work has considered racial/ethnic minorities at high risk for social disconnection and discrimination. A 7-day daily experience study assessed the bidirectional relationships between daily sleep quality, affect, social experiences, and overall well-being among a sample of Latinx undergraduates (N = 109). Each morning, participants reported on their previous night's sleep. Each evening, they reported their positive and negative affect, experiences of belonging and unfair treatment, and overall well-being that day. Results indicate that, at a daily level, sleep quality predicts next-day affect, belonging, and well-being. Reciprocally, only daily well-being predicts sleep quality. Findings highlight sleep as a potentially powerful antecedent of affective and social experiences likely to be particularly potent for underrepresented minority groups.
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