Lecture 16: Stigma & Labelling Theory

Question 1

etiology of labelling theory

Answer 1

society’s responses to individuals’ behaviours and thoughts

Question 2

basic idea of labelling theory

Answer 2

people who are labelled as deviant and treated as deviant become deviant

Question 3

3 key aspects of labelling theory

Answer 3

• primary vs. secondary deviance
• access/exposure to subcultures
• identification with mental patient role

Question 4

primary deviance

Answer 4

• An initial act of deviance
• In the context of mental illness, when someone first starts to display symptoms of mental illness
• Everyone will break a norm in their life for whatever reason
• Labelling theorists are not concerned with primary deviance

Question 5

secondary deviance

Answer 5

• How a person responds to being labelled as deviant and makes the level part of their identity
• This is particularly consequential when rule-breaking acts are repeated, severe, highly visible, and people who are enacting deviance have lower levels of societal power
• Once an individual has been labelled as deviant, they will likely experience differential treatment because of this label

Question 6

access/exposure to subcultures

Answer 6

• The differential treatment that may accompany labels of deviance may block access to normal or conventional avenues
• Ex. somebody who has been admitted to a mental health facility and has their freedoms restricted
• People who have been labelled as deviant are more likely to be exposed to deviant subcultures that reinforce their deviance

Question 7

identification with mental patient role

Answer 7

• Due to differential treatment, people may start to identify with their label over time
• Thus, individuals must perform actions and behaviours to continue to develop and maintain that identity

Question 8

modified labelling theory

Answer 8

• Mental illness is not the direct cause of labelling
• Labelling & stigma jeopardize the life circumstances of people with mental illness
• Expectations of rejection and discrimination guide how mentally ill people navigate the world
• This can lead to a self-fulfilling prophecy, where these actions (ex. avoidance) reinforce stereotypes about mental illness

Question 9

“package deal” of mental illness

Answer 9

• Being labelled with a mental illness has both pros and cons
• It can bring new opportunities and resources for treatment and medical care
• It can bring stigma and discriminatory treatment from others
• Often, people cope with the “package deal” by denying that they have a problem, refusing treatment, or leaving treatment early

Question 10

pros of labelling theory

Answer 10

• Bring potential biases to the forefront
• Reminder that mental illness is a social product (in part)
• Highlights the persistent problem of stereotypes

Question 11

cons of labelling theory

Answer 11

• Limited explanatory power
• Ignores the role of informal labelling
• Problematic assumptions

Question 12

problematic assumptions of labelling theories

Answer 12

• Behaviours are solely linked to a label
• Behaviours and symptoms may stop if the label suffices
• Labelling and differential treatment are the causes of psychological symptoms
• People will lose their agency once they are labelled

Question 13

multiple definitions of stigma

Answer 13

• The mark or label that is used as as social designation
• The link between a label and a negative stereotype
• The propensity to exclude/ discriminate against a designated person

Question 14

Link & Phelan on stigma

Answer 14

Stigma is a relationship among 6 interrelated components:

1. Distinguishing and labelling differences
2. Associating differences with negative attributes
3. Separating “us” from “them”
4. Negative emotional responses
5. Status loss & discrimination
6. Dependence on power

Question 15

distinguishing and labelling differences

Answer 15

• Most differences among humans are not considered very relevant
• But, other types of differences are highly socially salient
• Which characteristics become socially salient are important components of stigma

Question 16

Associating differences with negative attributes

Answer 16

The process of linking a difference to a negative stereotype

Question 17

Separating “us” from “them”

Answer 17

• Occurs in the way that we label people
• Reinforces that the labelled person is fundamentally different from us

Question 18

negative emotional responses

Answer 18

• People who stigmatize may respond to those who are stigmatized with emotions such as anger, anxiety, fear, and irritation
• People who are stigmatized often pick up on these negative emotions, and may respond with emotions such as shame, anger, fear, and alienation

Question 19

status loss & discrimination

Answer 19

When people are labelled, it sets the foundation that it is okay to reject and exclude these people from society

Question 20

dependence on power

Answer 20

• Stigma depends on social, cultural, economic, and political power
• Only people who have power can stigmatize others

Question 21

status loss

Answer 21

• The downward placement of a person in a status hierarchy due to a person’s reduced status in the eyes of others
• When people experience status loss, they lose power, which can further prevent them from achieving their desired goals

Question 22

manifestations of stigma

Answer 22

status loss & discrimination

Question 23

types of discrimination

Answer 23

• individual
• interactional
• internalized
• structural

Question 24

individual discrimination

Answer 24

• person A treats person B differently because person A holds prejudicial attitudes about person B
• not always overt
• subconscious

Question 25

interactional discrimination

Answer 25

emerges in the back-and-forth interactions between two people

Question 26

internalized discrimination

Answer 26

people start to receive negative messages about mental illness from society from a young age, and they may absorb these stereotypes as part of their normal socialization. If one becomes mentally ill, these beliefs can shape how one values themselves

Question 27

structural discrimination

Answer 27

occurs when social policy or other institutional processes disadvantage stigmatized groups over time

Question 28

the power of mental-illness-related stigma

Answer 28

• Attitudes, emotions, and beliefs, as well as power differences drive stigma processes
• Negative stereotypes have persisted over time
• Limits to biomedical and genetic explanations
• “Associative stigma”

Question 29

associative stigma

Answer 29

stigma against the children or relatives of a person with mental illness