...Social Stigmas Andre Dunham Strayer University What are Stigmas? Stigma is defined as: 1. a mark of disgrace or infamy; a stain or reproach, as on one’s reputation (www.dictionary.com). I’ve chosen the Article Social Stigmas by Heidi Goar to help understand what Social Stagmas are and, how to identify the different types of Social Stigmas that are out there. The information obtained in the Article for the most part is a review of existing research. The author used studies from other Scientist such as Erving Goffman (1922-1982) and Emile Durkhein to support her claims. What I’ve learned about Social Stigmas is that you don’t want to be placed in one. Once you are placed in one, the stigmatized person could be labeled as inferior and could suffer a loss in status in the community. One could have a stigma placed on them because of something they have done, such as the criminally deviant. Stigmas can also be placed on someone who has certain health conditions, such as Leprosy or AIDS. I also learned from Erving Goffmans’ Stigma: Notes on the Management of a Spoiled Identity that there are two types of stigmatized members: discreditable and discredited. A discreditable person has yet to be found out. A discredited person has either already revealed his/her position, been exposed, or cannot conceal the stigma. Goffman also says that there are Six Dimensions of Stigma that match the discreditable and discredited stigma. They are listed below: 1. Concealable...
Words: 481 - Pages: 2
...The scholarly sources that speak about stigma focus primarily on the social cognitive structures that cause stigma to exist in the first place, while popular sources tend to speak to the way that stigma impacts a person. Two particular scholarly sources approach stigma from a sociological perspective and respectively define internal and external sources of stigma. In the first article, the author defines internal stigma as “an identity transformation in which a person with severe mental illness loses previously held or hoped for identities and adopts stigmatizing views” (Yanos). This article continues with an analysis of a particular study conducted by the authors which tested the hypothesis of the “impact of internalized stigma on recovery-related...
Words: 326 - Pages: 2
...Baker University 9/15/14 Stigma: a mental or physical mark that is characteristic of a defect or disease (www.dictary.com). Or a mark or mental issue that sets you apart from others in society. No stigma is a fun thing to deal with but I believe that visible stigmas are a better thing to have, because some of them heal, and if even a certain visible stigma doesn’t heal people have already judged you when they see you so you have nothing to hide. And nonvisible stigmas can cause people to not participate in class, be afraid to try to make friends, and try so hard to hide it they may not even be acting like their true selves. There are two different types of stigmas. There is a visible stigma, which is mark, scare, or maybe even a deformity on the exterior of your body. Some visible stigmas heal, like smaller scares, red marks, and some cuts. So it may be embarrassing at the time but in time it will up, and you won’t have to deal with it anymore. Other things like deformities or any in normality can sometimes be covered up. But even if they can’t be covered up then people already see them so you may be embarrassed people have already judged you, so you can at least wear it with attitude. Then there are nonvisible stigmas. These are the stigmas that aren’t visible, such as ADD, dyslexia, autism, multi-personality disorder, and other learning disabilities or mental health issues. Yeah people may not be able to tell that you have a stigma when you’re walking down the...
Words: 842 - Pages: 4
...stigma and mental illness It appears that negative views of mental illness are common with in the public. According to Overton & Medina people suffering from mental illness are often portrayed as weird, defensive, and sometimes hard to talk to. According to Merriam-Webster Dictionary (1990), mental illness is defined as, “mentally distorted, mad, or crazy” (Russel, 1990). Generally, concepts about mental illness tend to be subjective, leading to difficulties in defining mental illness. Johnstone (2001) gives a broader definition of mental illness, believing that mental illness relates to the individuals spectrum of cognitions, emotions, and behaviours that damper relationships required for work, home, and in the learning facilities (Johnstone, 2001). This definition is also referenced in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders which categorizes the symptoms that are used to diagnose mental illness. 8 out of 10 people in Australia who experiences mental disorder will more like will experience stigma, stigma is a the behaviour of people toward people with mental disorders, stigma has been seen on many people, Stigma refers to negative, unfavorable attitudes and the behavior they produce. There are many people who experience mental disorders and when they newly get depression they don't go and ask for professional treatment because they don't want to be labeled and they don't want people calling them names, that is why a lot of people who get depression...
Words: 1045 - Pages: 5
...It is important that we look at a broader aspect of how the stigmas affect us as a whole when we are considering the effects of our education and team effort in combating suicide. Now we can focus on the aspects of what are indicators for suicide and how to intentionally seek out the behaviors associated with it but we need to broaden and encompass a variety of stigmas associated with the work force that in face discourage seeking help and put a strain on an already decayed system. We have made headway in deterring many different ill effects of such things as poor choices in ASAP program measures and in our programs widely for domestic violence. In the historic nature of suicide we focus entirely on the pony at hand with out encompassing a variety of stigmas associated with the causation and effects that bring someone to even erupt with an already pre notioned idea. Best put a permanent solution for a temporary problem. If we fail to recognize these stigmas and their effects as well we turn our heads from the underlying things as leaders we can do to bring it around. I am not saying coddle the Soldier I am saying with education there must be presented realistic goals and options to the stigmas we have created. Physical Birth Profile Recovery A person told that the promise of their getting out of the military on information that is a stigma and is not based on the validity of fact causes the continued degrading of trust and confidence that the Soldier has...
Words: 273 - Pages: 2
...Nathan Letourneau 25 Jan, 2013 MWF 2:00pm Abnormal Psychology Reflection Paper #1: Stigma Isaac Newton, Abraham Lincoln, Beethoven, these are all extraordinary men that played a major role in history, but what most people don’t seem to know about many of these men, is that they all lived with a mental illness. These men that people would call “Abnormal” for their mental illness today, all set an example and showed that people with mental illnesses can accomplish just as much and even more than let’s say “normal” people. Yet there is still a stigma today were people think that people with mental illnesses are weak minded or even dangerous. The fact of the matter is, that people living with a mental illness are no more violent then someone without one, and are often the victims of a crime. There have been so many people in the world that have done so many great things and have even learned to control their illness. Someone close to me in my life battled bulimia for over a year, and I shared the same house as them yet still had no idea, that she had this mental illness! We started noticing how thin she was getting, but didn’t really think very much of it until one day we found out what she was doing. I didn’t know what to think and I would never have guessed that I was living with someone with this problem. We tried for months and worked together to help her get through it but she always seemed to go back to doing it, when we thought she was fine again. It didn’t...
Words: 597 - Pages: 3
...I am a crip. From the navy blue bandana on my head, to the crispy Chuck Taylors on my feet. This is the life that I live by night. My family’s reputation gives me no choice. Either the truth about me is revealed and I am discredited(pg. 4), or I live a life of hypocrisy. My father is a deacon in the church, my mother -- a Sunday school teacher, my sister, the youth president, and my brother an usher. As for me, well, I’m in the choir. I can’t sing extremely well, but well enough to receive a courtesy stigma by members of my church because every other member of my family played an impactful role, and the church itself was founded in our living room. They feel indebted so of course I was “a young anointed boy with the potential to “lead” many people to Christ.” At least, that’s what they say. My gangster family and my biological family could never learn of each other, so I had no choice but to become a master of information control. Back on the West Side, on 2nd Ave & 48th street I’m breaking down weed in my brand new grinder at 7: 15 am. The big yellow school bus should be here by 7:30, that gives me enough time to break it down and put it in the baggies to make sales throughout the school day. I go to Palisades Charter High school, in other words one of the predominantly white schools in Los Angeles County. Its no question, my parents want me out the hood, little did they know they couldn’t take the hood out of me. I put a glob of hair grease in my hair and spray a tremendous...
Words: 2268 - Pages: 10
...Mental illness is often misunderstood. For centuries, it has been seen as either possession by evil spirits, an ethical shortcoming or discipline from a higher being. Those suffering from emotional sickness have aggravation of the psyche that can influence their reasoning, feeling and conduct that may meddle with ordinary working and subsequently making everyday life troublesome. There are two types of mental illness: minor mental illness and major mental illness. Stigma towards mental illness is characterized as the negative belief system joined with somebody with dysfunctional behavior or the sign of disrespect that divides an individual with emotional instability from the community. Those suffering from mental illness are perceived to be restless, violent and unpredictable. If I was around them and I didn't know them very well I would be scared because I wouldn't know it they were going to hurt me or not. I feel cautious around them but I have been taught by my parents to not treat them like they are different and can't be normal. I have a relative with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). ADHD isn't an infection or the consequence of damage to the mind however it is a dysfunction that doesn't allow the brain to work in the way it ought to. Studies demonstrate that ADHD may influence certain territories of the cerebrum that permit us to tackle issues, arrange ahead, comprehend others' actions, and control our motivations. It starts in adolescence and can proceed...
Words: 913 - Pages: 4
...Stigma on obesity Stigma is often unfair. It does not consider the feelings of the people involved. It is a collection of various negative principals that people have about something. Stigma of obesity is causing psychological problems to the people that are obese. These people are disadvantaged when it comes to various issues just because they are obese. Adults as well as children face this stigmatization. Most of them are viewed as lazy, weak-willed and less intelligent as compared to the non-obese people. People see them as sick people who are not willing to do anything about their bodies. When it comes to issues such as; marriage, employment and educational issues, the obese face serious discrimination. Such discrimination has adverse effects on the physical health of the obese (Puhl and Heuer p1). Stigmatization may cause emotional problems when obesity is assumed to be easily prevented by self-control. Thus, the obese person is viewed as a failure. At work obese people are seen as lazy, less competent and lack self-discipline (Puhl and Heuer p2). They are rarely promoted and more often paid less as compared to others are also they more prone to layoffs. In school obese students are bullied or teased by their peers. The teachers also have biased attitudes towards them. Stigmatization causes physical health, psychological and social consequences to the people involved. It can result in depression, low self-esteem, excessive dieting, and anorexia among other complications...
Words: 769 - Pages: 4
...Stigma of Mental Illness Mental illness seems more prevalent today than it did in the days of our grandparents and great grandparents. Arguments range many opinions of why this is the case. One argument is that more mental illnesses are recognized today compared to the past. For example, during WWII “Shell Shock” was used to describe the abnormal mental condition affecting all soldiers who experienced traumatic events during war. Psychiatrist didn’t discover Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), until the Vietnam War (Joseph, 2011). Advancements and discovery’s in the field of Psychology today have led to the diagnosis of many mental illnesses such as schizophrenia, borderline personality disorder, obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD), bipolar disorder, depression, and others. This led to many questions. Are these conditions over diagnosed? Are these just labels for behaviors not acceptable by society? What stigmas are associated with those affected by these conditions? I think it’s a combination of all of the above. (NAMI, 2016)...
Words: 582 - Pages: 3
...supporting the sculpture; you can walk around the sculpture. He delivers a likeness that looks real. He creates life size sculptures. He uses textures such as the clothing, hair, jewelry, and other accessories. The simplicity of the art is the reality of everyday life. I was amazed by the different textures such as the ice cream glass, the newspaper, the napkin holder, the salt and pepper shakers, the bag of grocery and the purse. The color allows us to perceive the textures and surfaces. Initially, it is starling when you view the art. He created the art during the mid to late 20th centuries. The theme is Superrealism in this art period. The sculpture demonstrates life in America; such as class prejudgment of the middle class and the stigma of obesity. Most people are not beautiful, wealthy, or famous. In my opinion, the art could suggest loneliness and isolation that a lot of people feel in their life. This will be a masterpiece because it gives you a glimpse into real life of the seventies as the future progresses. Modern technology and future artists will have progressed with relevant and new techniques, therefore Hanson’s art will be teaching material for the future artists. I do not like sculpture because I depicts prejudgment and prejudice of obesity. Why use an obese woman, why not use a smaller size woman in this piece? Whenever there is a situation of disparity and prejudice most people seem to gravitate towards the obese to make a better negative statement....
Words: 302 - Pages: 2
...Ultimately, a person’s mood fluctuates over a period of time. At certain points, one can be happy, and it will continue this way for a couple of days or weeks or months. Then one day, they’re not having the greatest day or week and they begin to feel a bit gloomy. There are some who suffer from major depressive disorder, which is a bit more intense than one’s normal standard of sadness, and this makes it harder for them to go about their every day lives. How The negative stigma behind mental illness, and depression in particular, is unwarranted. Depression has become a serious issue these days. Whether it’s seen in adults or teenagers or children, it has been ignored and belittled causing the outcomes to become more tragic. In 2007, a study was conducted in students to determine a percentage of students that felt sad or hopeless, considered attempting suicide, and made a suicide plan. It has shown that 28.5 percent of students felt sad or hopeless, 14.5 percent considered attempting suicide, and 11.3 percent made a suicide plan (Growing Up, 2010). Our society has made it a priority to overlook...
Words: 743 - Pages: 3
...Describe and evaluate one other explanation of criminal/anti-social behaviour. (12) * One other explanation for criminal behaviour is labelling and the self-fulfilling prophecy. Labelling theory states that criminal or anti-social behaviour is a consequence of the application of a criminal label given to the individual by others around them. * This explanation has four main stages. Firstly, a label is assigned to the individual by others around them; such labels are derived from stereotypes. For example, hoody wearers being labelled as troublemakers because of their physical appearance. * Secondly, the labelled individual will be treated according to their label by others around them. For example, if a crime such as graffiti occurs and a hoody wearer is nearby they will be blamed because their label is of a troublemaker. * Thirdly, the labelled individual reacts by starting to believe their assigned label. As a reaction to constantly being treated differently, the hoody wearer starts to believe that they are a bad person. * Finally, this results in the labelled individual behaving in line with the expectations of those around them which confirms the label. For example, the hoody wearer engages in criminal behaviour therefore a self-fulfilling prophecy (SFP) has occurred whereby the label has become true. * One example to illustrate how labelling and the self-fulfilling prophecy occurs is the naming of boys in the Ashanti tribe according to the day of the week...
Words: 677 - Pages: 3
...About the Stigma In essence, stigma is a kind of negative label on some individuals or groups, which has a serious impact on them that stigmatized people always suffered unfair treatment and were marked as unworthy. As is known to us, stigma is always connected with the lower social situation, poverty, disability, homosexuality and some other situation, and it jumps into professionals’ sigh since last decade, which means stigma has been considered as a serious social problem finally, and there is an upward tendency of people pay more attention on it. What is stigma? “The term stigma comes from ancient Greece, where it meant a ‘bodily sign designed to expose something unusual and bad about the moral status of [an individual].’” (Rosenblum & Travis, Framwork , 2012)This is the origin of stigma, and it is like an old penalty in ancient China that criminals were forced to be painted a tattoo on their face before they were exiled. It seems that ancient people were using similar ways to distinguish and mark people who were “bad”. And then, Goffman brought the word stigma into sociology to define the situation that some people are judged and classified into a group as unworthy because of their disability, race, sex, sexual orientation or some other social categories else. The first step of stigma is to classify the so-called unusual people to another group and naming them to show the difference, such as “gay”, “lesbian”, “black” and so on. And then, stigmatized people or group is suffering...
Words: 1734 - Pages: 7
...distinct neural responses of stigma components when viewing stigmatized individuals. To assess the effect of the stigma subcomponent of controllability on neural processing, twelve healthy-weight female participants (mean age = 22.2) viewed video clips of actors that were of healthy weight, were obese due to an uncontrollable medical condition, or were obese due to controllable actions (Azevedo et. al., 2014). Participants viewed videos of actors being subjected to pain or a pain-free condition and were asked to complete an implicit association test (IAT) and use a likert scale questionnaire to rate feelings of pity, disgust, envy and pride while undergoing fMRI neuroimaging. Actors that were obese due to an uncontrollable medical condition elicited more pity, but the two groups elicited similar feelings of disgust. Additionally, bias scores, measured by the IAT, were found to...
Words: 850 - Pages: 4
