Communication & Stigma Flashcards
What is Goffman’s definition of Stigma?
Stigma as a way to mark tainted and discounted groups
What is Stafford and Scott’s definition of stigma?
Stigma as norm violations.
What is Phelan, Link, and Dovidio’s definition of stigma?
Stigma as prejudice
What is Link and Phelan’s definition of stigma?
Stigma as power to exploit the stigmatized groups; considered stigma as a label rather than an attribute
What is Fien and Spencer’s definition of stigma?
Downward social comparison to make oneself look good
What is courtesy stigma?
Goffman; Stigma by association; Stigma spread out from the stigmatized groups to others related to it.
People who suffer from this kind of stigma:
1. cannot be accepted by the “normal people” and their courtesy group
2. carry the burdens and barrier that DO NOT belong to them.
In Goffman’s version of stigma, how is the person treated?
Treated as not human or inferior and dangerous. (Stigma experience as a mental reductionist process, stranger, and normative expectations)
Discredited Stigma
Goffman; Stigma that is observable and recognized (ex: bodily abominations)
Discreditable Stigma
Goffman; Stigma that can be hidden on the surface (ex: blemishes of character
What are the different ways stigmatized people manage their stigmatized identities depending on whether such stigma is discredited or discreditable?
- Avoidance
- Selective Disclosure
- Reduce Offensiveness
- Downward Comparison
- Only interacting with other stigmatized groups
What are the three types of stigma under Goffman?
- Abominations of the body
- Blemishes of individual character
- Tribal stigma of race, nation, and religion (ex: anti-semitism)
Stigma ideology under Goffman
Uncertainty arises during interactions between stigmatized people and non-stigmatized people.
“A stigma theory, and ideology to explain his inferiority and account for the danger he represents, sometimes rationalizing an animosity based on other differences, such as those of social class.”
Horizontal Perspective
List different categories of stigma; a static approach to stigma
Vertical Perspective
How stigma evolve and develop; a dynamic process to look at stigma
What are the four components in the systematic approach to stigma under Link & Phelan?
- Labeling and distinguishing differences (mentally normal vs. mentally disordered; native english speakers vs. non-native english speakers)
- On associative human differences with negative attributes (devalued stereotypes); (Inferior, dangerous, corrupted, tainted, lazy)
- Separate “us” from “them” (E.g., They are lazy… they should be hardworking)
- Status loss and Discrimination; Discrimination could exist at both the individual level or structural level… or even via the stigmatized group themselves
What are the four levels of stigmatization?
Link & Phelan
1. Institutional (structural or societal) level of stigmatization
- Intercultural-intergroup level of stigmatization (example)
- Interpersonal level of stigmatization
- Self level of stigmatization
Example of Institutional stigmatization
Lowering funding for mental health research due to stigma, prejudice, and discrimination against people with mental illness.
Example of Intercultural-intergroup Stigmatization
In a diverse workplace setting, employees from one cultural background might be unfairly stigmatized or discriminated against by individuals from another cultural background. This could manifest in various forms, such as exclusion from social activities, biased treatment in decision-making processes, or derogatory stereotypes being perpetuated about the targeted group.
Example of Interpersonal level of stigmatization
someone who identifies as LGBTQ+ may experience interpersonal stigmatization if their friends or family members make derogatory remarks, express disapproval, or treat them differently because of their sexual orientation. This could manifest in subtle forms, such as jokes or comments that invalidate their identity, or more overt forms, such as exclusion from gatherings or social events.
Example of self level of stigmatization
feelings of shame or feeling inferior due to your illness
How are stigma and power related?
Stigma is related to power and stigmatizers cannot stigmatize others without power.
This power could be operated in an obvious manner, but it may also function in less obvious ways
Three types of power
Link & Phelan
1. Political power (using armies or police force; creating laws that legitimize stigma)
2. Cultural or symbolic power (stereotypes such as “girls are bad at sports”)
3. Economic Power (using money to create barriers for the disadvantaged groups).
Motivations of Stigmatizers
Link & Phelan
1. Create social norms to control others (keeping us in)
2. Exploit other groups (keeping them down)
3. Avoid danger (keeping them out)
Examples of motivations of stigmatizers (keeping us in, keeping them down, keeping them out)
Manager: Why is what you’re wearing not on par with our dress code?
Employee A: This is just what I felt like wearing today
Manager: You cannot do this, you now have to wear the neon discipline outfit as punishment
Employee A: No it’s so ugly and bright!
Manager: Good, let this be a sign to all the other employees that you cannot dress like that
Employee B: I would hate to have to wear that, it’s so embarrassing! I will never come to work not dressed right like her
Employee A: I quit!
Manager: Good, we don’t need people who dress like you! And sign this NDA on your way out, we don’t need to hear from people like you ever again.
Employee B: I won’t speak to her again, I’m glad she’s gone. Who shows up to work dressed like that!
What are other implication for stigma from Link & Phelan?
- Stigma as values and norms
- Stigma makes certain disadvantages people accept their lower and “rightful” place
- Such stigma power is hidden and misrecognized (both stigmatizers and the stigmatized groups may not be aware of that)
Cultivation Analysis
Mass media influence our worldview
Social Cognition Perspective
We learn from role models in mass media and behave like them
Communication & Stigma
A process perspective; Includes:
1. Stigmatizer: (The sender who sends stigma messages)
- Stigma messages (The messages stigmatize a certain individual and the group associated with this individual).
- The stigmatized (The receiver who receives stigma messages or those who are targets of such messages)
What were the religious and medical implications of stigma during the Christian time?
- Bodily sign of holy grace
- Bodily sign of physical disorder
- Glorified vs. polluted
Expectancy Violation Theory (Burgoon)
Positive violation….Positive evaluation
Negative Violation… Negative evaluation
Stigma and being a stranger
- Unfamiliarity results in stigmatization
Stigma as a matter of degree
- Labeling could be salient or not salient at all.
- The relation between labeling and negative stereotypes might be strong or weak (or one label might be related to multiple stereotypes with different valences).
- Separation could be either weak or strong depending on contexts.
- Status Loss-Discrimination may vary.
Origins of stigma
Groups with or without power label and stereotype each other
The passive vs. active stigmatized groups
Passivity (e.g., being helpless) makes more negative stereotypes about the stigmatized groups
Resistance from the stigmatized groups… while gets limited by power restrictions
Outcomes of Stigma: Not in my backyard phenomenon (NIMBY)
Describes a phenomenon in which residents of a neighborhood designate a new development (e.g., shelter, affordable housing, group home) or change in occupancy of an existing development as inappropriate or unwanted for their local area
Common arguments of NIMBY phenomenon
There will be increases in crime, litter, thefts, violence, and the property taxes will decrease. The benefits for the residents of the development are often ignored.
