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Nonstigmatized individuals' reactions to the acknowledgment and valuation of a stigma by overweight individuals and physically disabled individuals.

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Call No.	BF727.P57 H43 1997
Author	Hebl, Michelle Rae.
Title	Nonstigmatized individuals' reactions to the acknowledgment and valuation of a stigma by overweight individuals and physically disabled individuals.
Date	1997
Abstract	In the last few years, a new perspective on the management of obesity has emerged. Instead of focusing on dieting and weight loss efforts, the new approach focuses on size acceptance. The concept of positively accepting one's deviant features has long been recommended to individuals who have physical disabilities. It is unclear, however, what effect stigmatized individuals' positive or negative self-acceptance has on others. Since many of the difficulties that stigmatized individuals encounter in their world result from the beliefs, attitudes, and behaviors of their nonstigmatized interactants, it is important to examine the effects that acknowledgments and different valuations of the deviant condition have on nonstigmatized interactants. A series of four experiments examined the impressions that participants form of stigmatized individuals (those who are overweight or are physically disabled) who did or did not acknowledge their stigma or acknowledged their stigma and expressed either positive or negative acceptance of their condition. Participants completed affective and cognitive person perception inventories after either viewing a videotape or reading a few paragraphs depicting an overweight or physically disabled individual who either acknowledged her condition with satisfaction or dissatisfaction, or who said nothing about her condition. Results revealed that specific valuations expressed by the stigmatized individIn the last few years, a new perspective on the management of obesity has emerged. Instead of focusing on dieting and weight loss efforts, the new approach focuses on size acceptance. The concept of positively accepting one's deviant features has long been recommended to individuals who have physical disabilities. It is unclear, however, what effect stigmatized individuals' positive or negative self-acceptance has on others. Since many of the difficulties that stigmatized individuals encounter in their world result from the beliefs, attitudes, and behaviors of their nonstigmatized interactants, it is important to examine the effects that acknowledgments and different valuations of the deviant condition have on nonstigmatized interactants. A series of four experiments examined the impressions that participants form of stigmatized individuals (those who are overweight or are physically disabled) who did or did not acknowledge their stigma or acknowledged their stigma and expressed either positive or negative acceptance of their condition. Participants completed affective and cognitive person perception inventories after either viewing a videotape or reading a few paragraphs depicting an overweight or physically disabled individual who either acknowledged her condition with satisfaction or dissatisfaction, or who said nothing about her condition. Results revealed that specific valuations expressed by the stigmatized individuals had less of an effect on the impressions nonstigmatized individuals formed than was expected. However, the acknowledgment of a stigma (whether an individual said something or nothing) was found to have effects that varied with the nature of the stigma. Specifically, physically disabled individuals were viewed significantly more favorably when they mentioned rather than when they did not mention their disability; however, overweight individuals were viewed significantly more favorably when they did not mention than when they did mention their obesity. Partially driving these effects was a strong and consistent generosity effect toward physically disabled individuals, such that they were viewed more favorably than both control and overweight individuals on most dependent measures examined. Taken as a whole, this research reveals that before one can effectively evaluate whether acknowledging is a useful strategy for stigmatized individuals, one must first take into account the specific stigma.uals had less of an effect on the impressions nonstigmatized individuals formed than was expected. However, the acknowledgment of a stigma (whether an individual said something or nothing) was found to have effects that varied with the nature of the stigma. Specifically, physically disabled individuals were viewed significantly more favorably when they mentioned rather than when they did not mention their disability; however, overweight individuals were viewed significantly more favorably when they did not mention than when they did mention their obesity. Partially driving these effects was a strong and consistent generosity effect toward physically disabled individuals, such that they were viewed more favorably than both control and overweight individuals on most dependent measures examined. Taken as a whole, this research reveals that before one can effectively evaluate whether acknowledging is a useful strategy for stigmatized individuals, one must first take into account the specific stigma.
Description	viii, 164 leaves : ill. 28 cm
Format	application/pdf
Advisor	Kleck, Robert E.
Subject	Overweight persons -- Attitudes. ; People with disabilities -- Attitudes. ; Obesity -- Public opinion. ; Stigma (Social psychology). ; Self-presentation.
College	Dartmouth College -- Department of Psychology.
Issuing Body	Dartmouth Dissertations are made available through the Dartmouth Digital Library.
Degree	Thesis (Ph.D.)--Dartmouth College.
Copyright	All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form by any electronic or mechanical means without permission in writing from the author.
DOI	http://dx.doi.org/10.1349/ddlp.1806

Title	Page 1
Full Text	NONSTIGMATIZED INDIVIDUALS' REACTIONS TO THE ACKNOWLEDGMENT AND VALUATION OF A STIGMA BY OVERWEIGHT INDIVIDUALS AND PHYSICALLY DISABLED INDIVIDUALS A Thesis Submitted to the Faculty in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Psychology by Michelle Rae Hebl DARTMOUTH COLLEGE Hanover, New Hampshire May 1997

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