Abstract
The theory of stigma management communication has helped identify and categorize the tactics people use to manage stigmatization, but tactics' predictors remain unknown. To address this gap, we considered stigmatization through the lens of interpersonal influence: as an act in which stigmatizers attempt to persuade their targets to accept categorization and de-individualization into a social group with a marginalized social status. Obstacle hypothesis, a theory of resistance to interpersonal influence, was used to derive predictors. Participants (N = 124) facing possible stigmatization due to their genetic risk for a chronic health condition completed a survey and shared memories of their initial test disclosures. The empirical tests showed that having a stronger sense of meaning in life, more unsafe experiences, and a broader information network predicted resisting stigmatization. The practical implications of bolstering one's sense of meaning in life and argumentation skills and their connections to resilience research are discussed.
| Original language | English (US) |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 571-590 |
| Number of pages | 20 |
| Journal | Journal of Applied Communication Research |
| Volume | 47 |
| Issue number | 5 |
| DOIs | |
| State | Published - Sep 3 2019 |
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All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes
- Communication
- Language and Linguistics
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Insights into stigma management communication theory : considering stigmatization as interpersonal influence. / Smith, Rachel A.; Bishop, Rachael E.
In: Journal of Applied Communication Research, Vol. 47, No. 5, 03.09.2019, p. 571-590.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article
TY - JOUR
T1 - Insights into stigma management communication theory
T2 - considering stigmatization as interpersonal influence
AU - Smith, Rachel A.
AU - Bishop, Rachael E.
PY - 2019/9/3
Y1 - 2019/9/3
N2 - The theory of stigma management communication has helped identify and categorize the tactics people use to manage stigmatization, but tactics' predictors remain unknown. To address this gap, we considered stigmatization through the lens of interpersonal influence: as an act in which stigmatizers attempt to persuade their targets to accept categorization and de-individualization into a social group with a marginalized social status. Obstacle hypothesis, a theory of resistance to interpersonal influence, was used to derive predictors. Participants (N = 124) facing possible stigmatization due to their genetic risk for a chronic health condition completed a survey and shared memories of their initial test disclosures. The empirical tests showed that having a stronger sense of meaning in life, more unsafe experiences, and a broader information network predicted resisting stigmatization. The practical implications of bolstering one's sense of meaning in life and argumentation skills and their connections to resilience research are discussed.
AB - The theory of stigma management communication has helped identify and categorize the tactics people use to manage stigmatization, but tactics' predictors remain unknown. To address this gap, we considered stigmatization through the lens of interpersonal influence: as an act in which stigmatizers attempt to persuade their targets to accept categorization and de-individualization into a social group with a marginalized social status. Obstacle hypothesis, a theory of resistance to interpersonal influence, was used to derive predictors. Participants (N = 124) facing possible stigmatization due to their genetic risk for a chronic health condition completed a survey and shared memories of their initial test disclosures. The empirical tests showed that having a stronger sense of meaning in life, more unsafe experiences, and a broader information network predicted resisting stigmatization. The practical implications of bolstering one's sense of meaning in life and argumentation skills and their connections to resilience research are discussed.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85074373668&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=85074373668&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1080/00909882.2019.1675894
DO - 10.1080/00909882.2019.1675894
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:85074373668
VL - 47
SP - 571
EP - 590
JO - Journal of Applied Communication Research
JF - Journal of Applied Communication Research
SN - 0090-9882
IS - 5
ER -