Turning Our Attention to Stigma: An Objective Self-Awareness Analysis of Stigma and Its Consequences
Document Type
Article
Publication Date
2013
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
https://doi.org/10.1080/01973533.2012.746593
Abstract
Scholars have long debated stigma's effects on the psychological functioning of its targets, with some concluding that stigma does not harm self-esteem (Crocker & Major, 1989Crocker , J. , & Major , B. ( 1989 ). Social stigma and self-esteem: The self-protective properties of stigma .Psychological Review , 96 , 608 – 630 .[Crossref], [Web of Science ®], [Google Scholar]), and others taking the opposite stance. We propose a resolution to this debate by applying the theory of objective self-awareness (Duval & Wicklund, 1972Duval , S. , & Wicklund , R. A. ( 1972 ). A theory of objective self-awareness . New York , NY : Academic Press . [Google Scholar]) to the literature on the psychological consequences of stigma. We argue that public stigma has negative consequences when its targets focus objectively on their stigmatized status. Explicitly applying objective self-awareness theory to the stigma literature casts new light on past findings and suggests directions for future research.
Was this content written or created while at USF?
Yes
Citation / Publisher Attribution
Basic and Applied Social Psychology, v. 35, issue 1, p. 55-63
Scholar Commons Citation
Pinel, Elizabeth C. and Bosson, Jennifer K., "Turning Our Attention to Stigma: An Objective Self-Awareness Analysis of Stigma and Its Consequences" (2013). Psychology Faculty Publications. 1155.
https://digitalcommons.usf.edu/psy_facpub/1155
