Stigma, Prejudice

1
Stigma, Prejudice Discrimination as Social
Stressor

• Maia Mestvirishvili, PhD
• Tbilisi State University
• Psychology Department

2
Course Goals

• Introduce students to
• basic concepts of social stress
• implications of social stress in prejudice and
  discrimination
• central research topics, recent and ongoing
  studies on social stress
• theory, knowledge and public health practices in
  studying social stress
• platform/possibilities/framework for research
  engagement
• Develop skills for analyzing scientific research

3
Prerequisites

• Social science introductory course

Method of Instruction

• Classes would combine lectures with student
  discussions and presentations.

ECTS

• Credit 5
• Contact hours 30
• Independent work 95

4
Method of Evaluation

• 
  Score ()
• Weekly essays
  50
• Leading one seminar discussion 30
• Presentation
  20

5
Course Description (1) Social stress

• Personal and social stress in different social
  groups Diversity and genesis of social stress
• Methods and measures for assessment of stress,
  identity, and health
• Theoretical views/perspectives and research
  evidence on the role of stress factors in public
  health

6
Course Description (2)Determinants of Social
stress

• Concepts of self and identity
• Identity structure and identity development
• Intersections of identities
• Interaction of stress and identity
• Experience of stigma and prejudice in social
  settings

7
Course Description (3)Social stress outcomes
and coping

• Health outcomes of stigma and prejudice
• Health concepts of self and identity
• Coping with stigma - the costs and benefits of
  coping
• Public health interventions and minority
  communities

8
Course outline

• Week1. Overview Minority stress and health

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Main Topics

• Historical overview of stress theories
• Biological and cognitive perspectives (Hans
  Selye, Don Meichenbaum, Richard Lazarus, Albert
  Bandura)
• Socioeconomic class and health outcomes

10
Hans Selye General Adaptation Syndrome
(GAS) Stress is the non specific response
(nervous, immunologic or hormonal) of the body to
any demand made upon it (Selye, 1973b). Stress
categories Eustress ("positive stress")
Distress ("negative stress")  
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Stress PhasesAlarm reaction The post-shock
response after body detects the external
stimuliResistentionDefensive countermeasures
against the stressor ExhaustionReduction/weake
ning of defensive abilities 1.General
Adaptation Syndrome
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(No Transcript)
13
Stevan E. HobfollConservation of Resources
Theory (COR)Stress overuse/loose, threat or
ineffective investment of human resources.
14
Texts

• Hobfoll, S.E. (1998). Stress, culture, and
  community The psychology and philosophy of
  stress.  NY Plenum Press.     READ Chapter 1,
  The social and historical context of stress.  
• Gleason, P. (1983). Identifying identity A
  semantic history. The Journal of American
  History, 69, 910-931.
• Barbeau, E.M., Krieger, N., Soobader, M.J.
  (2004).  Working class matters  Socioeconomic
  disadvantage, race/ethnicity, gender, and smoking
  in NHIS 2000.  American Journal of Public Health,
  94, 269-278

15

• Week 2 Socioeconomic class, social status, and
  minority health

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Main Topics

• Linking income inequality to health
• Theory and evidence
• Mechanisms
• (1)Underinvestiment of human capital/education
• (2)Disinvestment of social capital/social
  cohesion
• (3)Psychological pathway frustration

17

• Assignments 1
• Writing Essay
• Minority stress vs.  class in public health.  Are
  the two models always competing?

18
Texts

• Karwachi, I. (2000). Income inequality and
  health. In L.F. Berkman I. Kawachi (Eds.),
  Social epidemiology (pp. 76 A150 94). NY
  Oxford University Press.
• Farmer, P. (2003).  Pathologies of
  power  Health, human rights, and the new war on
  the poor.  Berkley and Los Angeles, CA
  University of California Press.    READ Chapter
  1, On suffering and structural violence Social
  and economic rights in the global era.

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Texts

• Williams, D.R. (1999).  Race, socioeconomic
  status, and health The added effects of racism
  and discrimination, Annals of the New York
  Academy of Sciences, 896,  173-188.  
• Braveman P, Gruskin S. (2003). Defining equity in
  health. Journal of epidemiology and Community
  health

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Course outline

• Week 3 Social stress Conceptual background

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Main Topics

• Two levels of stress
• Social
• Individual
• How social and personal stress reflects on people
  well-being

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Texts

• Pearlin, L.I. (1999).  The stress process
  revisited.  Reflections on concepts and their
  interrelationships.  Handbook of the Sociology of
  Mental Health (pp. 395-415).  New York,
  NY  Kluwer Academic/Plenum Publishers.
• Krieger, N. (2001).  Theories for social
  epidemiology in the 21st century an ecosocial
  perspective.  International Journal of
  Epidemiology, 30, 668-677.

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Texts

• Allison, K.W. (1998). Stress and the oppressed
  social category membership. In Janet K. Swim and
  Charles Stangor (Eds.), Prejudice The Target's
  Perspective (149 - 171). New York Academic
  Press. 
• Meyer, I. H. (2003). Prejudice, social stress and
  mental health in lesbian, gay, and bisexual
  populations Conceptual issues and research
  evidence. Psychological Bulletin, 129, 674-697.

24

• Assignments 2
• Writing Essay
• Compare and contrast the 2 classes of stressors. 
  What are some of the characteristics that are
  unique to each class of stressors?

25

• Week 4. Stigma

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Main Topics

• Definition of stigma G.Allport Sartre Fanon
  E.Goffman
• Dimensions and function of stigma
• Nature of stigmatizations
• Consequences of stigma

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Texts

• Jones, E.E., Farina, A., Hastorf, A.H., Markus,
  H., Miller, D.T., Scott, R.A. (1984).  Social
  stigma  The psychology of marked
  relationships.  NY W.H. Freeman.    READ
  Chapter 2 The dimensions of stigma
• Parker, R. Aggleton, P. (2003). HIV and
  AIDS-related stigma and discrimination a
  conceptual framework and implications for action.
  Social Science Medicine, 57, 13-24.  

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Texts

• Crocker, J., Major, B., Steele, C. (1998)
  Social stigma. In Gilbert, D.T., Fiske, S.T.,
  Lindzey, G. (Eds.). The Handbook of Social
  Psychology (4th ed.). NY McGraw-Hill.
• Link, B. G. Phelan, J. C. (2001).
  Conceptualizing stigma. Annual Review of
  Sociology, 27, 363-385.

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• Assignments 3
• Writing Essay
• Jones and colleagues describe 6 important
  dimensions of stigma. How do they inform our
  discussion of minority stress? To illustrate your
  arguments, pair dimensions with stigmatized
  groups

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• Week 5. Prejudice and discrimination

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Main Topics

• Theories of discrimination
• Measuring racial discrimination
• Nature of contemporary prejudice

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Texts

• Jones, E.E., Farina, A., Hastorf, A.H., Markus,
  H., Miller, D.T., Scott, R.A. (1984).  Social
  stigma  The psychology of marked
  relationships.  NY W.H. Freeman.    READ
  Chapter 2 The dimensions of stigma
• Parker, R. Aggleton, P. (2003). HIV and
  AIDS-related stigma and discrimination a
  conceptual framework and implications for action.
  Social Science Medicine, 57, 13-24.  

33
Texts

• Swim, J.K., Aikin, K.J., Hall, W.S., Huntet,
  B.A. (1995).  Sexism and racism  Old-fashioned
  and modern prejudices.  Journal of Personality
  and Social Psychology, 68, 199-214.  
• Green, D.P., McFalls, L.H. , Smith, J.K.
  (2001).  Hate crimes  An emergent research
  agenda.  Annual Review of Sociology, 27, 479
  A150 304.

34

• Assignments 4
• Writing Essay
• How would you approach the measurement of
  discrimination?  justify the methods you would
  choose to measure discrimination

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Course outline

• Week 6.
• Racism and health outcomes

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Main Topics

• Biopsychological model of racism
• Level of racism
• Racism as stressor

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R. Clarck Contextual model to examine the
Biopsychological Effects of perceived Racism
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Texts

• Clark, R., Anderson, N.B., Clark, V.R.,
  Williams, D.R. (1999).  Racism as a stressor for
  African Americans A biopsychosocial model. 
  American Psychologist, 54, 805-816. 
• Jones, C.P. (2000).  Levels of racism A
  theoretic framework and a gardenerA146s tale. 
  American Journal of Public Health, 90, 1212-1215.

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Texts

• Guyll, M., Matthews, K.A., Bromberger, J.T.
  (2001).  Discrimination and unfair treatment
  Relationship to cardiovascular reactivity among
  African American and European American women. 
  Health Psychology, 20, 315-325. 
• Schulz, A., Williams, D., Israel, B., Becker, A.,
  Parker, E., James, S.A., Jackson, J. (2000). 
  Unfair treatment, neighborhood effects, and
  mental health in the Detroit metropolitan area. 
  Journal of Health and Social Behavior, 41, 314 -
  332

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• Assignments 5
• Writing Essay
• Clark et al. (1999 in your readings) have
  proposed a biopsychosocial model of racism as a
  stressor.  How does this model capture the
  construct of racism?

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• Week 7. Gender, stress, and health

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Main Topics

• Role congruity theory woman and man in leaders
  role
• Gender and social roles interaction of family
  and workplace roles
• Sex roles

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Texts

• Barnett, R. C. Baruch, G. K. (1987). Social
  roles, gender, and psychological distress. In
  R.C.Barnett, L. Biener, G. K. Baruch (Eds.),
  Gender and stress (pp. 122-143).  NY Free
  Press.  
• Thoits, P. A. (1986). Multiple identities
  Examining gender and marital-status differences
  in distress. American Sociological Review, 51,
  259-272.

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Texts

• Eagly, A.H. Karau, S. J. (2002).  Role
  congruity theory of prejudice toward female
  leaders.  Psychological Review, 109, 573-598.
• Lopata, H.Z. Throrne, B. (1978).  On the term
  "sex roles."  Signs, 3, 718 - 721.

45

• Assignments 6
• Writing Essay
• Despite some similarities, research of minority
  stress related to gender seems to stem from a
  different conceptual base then research of
  minority stress related to race. Describe how the
  two research traditions differ from each other. 

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• Week 8. Sexual prejudice, homophobia, and
  heterosexism

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Main Topics

• Internalized homophobia demographic
  characteristics and religiosity
• Community and intimacy

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Texts

• Herek GM, Gillis JR, Cogan JC. (1999). 
  Psychological sequelae of hate-crime
  victimization among lesbian, gay, and bisexual
  adults.  Journal of Consulting and Clinical
  Psychology, 67, 945-51. 
•  
• Meyer, I.H. (2001).  Why LGBT health?  American
  Journal of Public Health.  91, 856 - 859.

49
Texts

• Stall, R.  Mills, T.C., Williamson, J.  Hart, T.,
  Greenwood, G. Paul, J., Pollack, L., Binson, D.,
  Osmond, D.  Catania, J.A. (2003). Association
  of co-occurring psychosocial health problems and
  increased vulnerability to HIV/AIDS among urban
  men who have sex with men. American Journal of
  Public Health, 93, 939-942.
• Meyer, I. H. Dean, L. (1998). Internalized
  homophobia, intimacy, and sexual behavior among
  gay and bisexual men. In G.M. Herek (Ed.), Stigma
  and sexual orientation Understanding prejudice
  against lesbians, gay men, and bisexuals (pp.
  160-186). Thousand Oaks, CA Sage. 

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• Week 9. Coping with stigma

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Main Topics

• Social stigma and self-esteem
• Voluntary and involuntary coping responses to
  stigma

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Texts

• Miller, C.T. Kaiser, C.R. (2001). Coping with
  prejudice and discrimination A theoretical
  perspective on coping with stigma.  Journal of
  Social Issues, 57, 73-92.
• Crocker, J. Major, B. (1989). Social stigma and
  self-esteem  The self-protective properties of
  stigma. Psychological Review, 96, 608-630.
• Frable, D.E.S., Platt, L., Hoey, S. (1998.
  Concealable stigmas and positive
  self-perceptions Feeling better around similar
  others. Journal of Personality and Social
  Psychology, 74, 909-922.

53
Texts

• Postmes, T. Branscombe, N.R.( 2002).Influence
  of long-term racial environment composition on
  subjective well-being in African Americans.
  Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 83,
  735-751.
• Smart, L. and Wegner, DM. (2000).  The hidden
  costs of hidden stigma. In T.F. Heatherton, R.E.
  Fleck, M.R. Hebl, and J.G. Hull (Eds.), The
  social psychology of stigma (220-242).  NY The
  Guilford Press.

54

• Assignments 7
• Writing Essay
• Think about one example of stress related to
  race/ethnicity, gender, or sexual orientation.   
• 1.  Briefly describe the stressor. 
• 2.  Describe two examples of coping with this
  stressor one for each of these classes of
  coping. 

55

• Week 10. Interventions to reduce stigma

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Main Topics

• Passive and active nature of racial stereotyping
• Personal and structural level of interventions
• Working with police to reduce stigma

57
Texts

• Pinfold, V., Huxley, P., Thornicroft, G., Farmer,
  P., Toulmin, H., Graham, T.  (2003).  Reducing
  psychiatric stigma and discrimination 
  Evaluating an educational intervention with the
  police force in England.  Soc Psycchiatry
  Psychiatr Epidemiol, 38, 337 - 344. 
• Bigler, R.S. (1999).  The use of multicultural
  curricula and materials to counter racism in
  children.  Journal of Social Issues, 55, 687 -
  705.

58
Texts

• Pettigrew, T.F. Tropp, L.R. (2000).  Does
  intergroup contact reduce prejudice?  Recent
  meta-analytic findings.  In S. Oskamp (Ed.), The
  Claremont Symposium on Applied Social
  Psychology  Reducing prejudice and
  discrimination pp.  93 A150 114).  Mahwah, NJ 
  Lawrence Erlbaum Associates. 
• Heilman, M.E. Haynes, M.C. (2005).  Combating
  organizational discrimination  Some unintended
  consequences.  In R.L. Dipboye A. Colella
  (Eds.), Discrimination at work  The
  psychological and organizational bases.  Mahwah,
  NJ  Lawrence Erlbaum Associates. 

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Course outline

• Assignments 8
• Writing Essay
• Intervention- individual and structural level 
• how do you analyze advantages and disadvantages
  of these types of interventions.

60
Course outline

• Week 11.
• Self and Identity Preliminary concept

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Main Topics

• Emergence of inner selfhood
• Problem of selfhood
• Social identity and self-esteem

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Texts

• Baumeister, R. (1997). The self and society
  Changes, problems, and opportunities. Self and
  Identity Fundamental Issues (pp. 191-217). NY
  Oxford University Press.
• McAdams, D.P. (1997). The case for unity in the
  (post)modern self A modest proposal. In R.D.
  Ashmore, L. Jussim, (Series Eds.), R.D.
  Contrada R.D. Ashmore (Vol. Eds.), Rutgers
  Series on Self and Social Identity Vol. 1. Self
  and Identity Fundamental Issues (pp.46 - 78).
  NY Oxford University Press.

63
Texts

• Ashmore, R. D., Deaux, K., McLaughlin-Volpe, T.
  (2004). An organizing framework for collective
  identity Articulation and significance of
  multidimensionality. Psychological Bulletin, 130,
  80-114.
• Brewer, M.B. (1991). The social self On being
  the same and different at the same time.
  Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 17,
  475-482.

64

• Assignments 9
• Writing Essay
• concept of identity in minority stress.   
•  

65

• Week 12. Minority identity formation

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Main Topics

• Ethnicity as identity
• Racial-ethnical identity development

67
Texts

• Cross, W. (1995). The psychology of nigrescence
  Revising the Cross model. In J.G. Ponterotto, J.
  M. Casa, L. A. Suzuki, C. M. Alexander (Eds.),
  Handbook of Multicultural Counseling (pp.
  93-122). Thousand Oaks, CA Sage Publications.
• Phinney, J. S. (1996). When we talk about
  American ethnic groups, what do we mean? American
  Psychologist, 51, 918-927.

68
Texts

• Eliason, M.J. Schope, R  (in press).  Shifting
  sands or solid foundation? Lesbian, gay,
  bisexual, and transgender identity formation.  In
  I. H. Meyer and M. E. Northridge (Eds.), The
  health of sexual minorities Public health
  perspectives on lesbian, gay, bisexual, and
  transgender populations.  NY Springer. 
• Crawford, I., Allison, K. W., Zamboni, B. D.,
  Soto, T. (2002). The influence of dual-identity
  development on the psychosocial functioning of
  African-American gay and bisexual men. Journal of
  Sex Research, 39, 179-189.

69

• Assignments 10
• Writing Essay
• What are some similarities and differences
  between race and gay identity development models?

70

• Week 13. The intersections of minority
  identities

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Main Topics

• Class, gender and race as triple oppression
• Race- politically economically and socially
  formed category
• Ethnicity historical and cultural group

72
Texts

• Acker, J. (2000). Rewriting class, race, and
  gender Problems in feminist rethinnking. In
  M.Marx Ferree, J. Lorber, B. B. Hess (Eds.),
  Revisioning gender (pp. 44-69). Walnut Creek, CA
  AltaMira Press.
• Glenn, N.E. (2000). The social construction and
  institutionalization of gender and race. In
  M.Marx Ferree, J. Lorber, B. B. Hess (Eds.),
  Revisioning gender (pp. 3-43). Walnut Creek, CA
  AltaMira Press

73
Texts

• Mays VM, Yancey AK, Cochran SD, Weber M, Fielding
  JE. (2002). Heterogeneity of health disparities
  among African American, Hispanic, and Asian
  American women unrecognized influences of sexual
  orientation. American Journal of Public Health,
  92, 632-639.
• Diaz, R.M., Ayala, G . Bein, E. Henne, J.
  Marin, B.V. (2001). The impact of homophobia,
  poverty, and racism on the mental health of gay
  and bisexual Latino men findings from 3 US
  cities. American Journal of Public Health, 91,
  927 - 932.

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• Assignments 11
• Writing Essay
•  Describe the concept of intersectionality in the
  context of minority stress and explain how the
  concept of intersectionality may affect our
  thinking about minority stress. 

75

• Week 14. The interaction of stress and
  identity

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Main Topic

• Roles of identity factors in stress process

77
Texts

• Burke, P.J. (1991). Identity processes and
  social stress. American Sociological Review, 56,
  836-849.
• Thoits, P.A. (1999). Self, identity, stress and
  mental health. In C. S Aneshensel and J. C.
  Phelan (Eds.), Handbook of the Sociology of
  Mental Health (345 - 368). NY Kluwer
  Academic/Plenum

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Course Outcomes (1)

• Gaining and integrating the knowledge of theory
  with public health practices to advance our
  understanding of social stressor and its
  underlying mechanisms
• Integrate knowledge of theory and practice
  concerning mental health in the context of social
  stressor

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Course Outcomes (2)

• Obtain familiarity with the following concept and
  research topics
•     Variations in sensitivity to discrimination
  and prejudice within groups
•     Factors influencing people's tendency to
  perceive and report experiences with
  discrimination
•     The psychological effects of being a member
  of a stigmatized group
• Methods for coping with being a member of a
  stigmatized group
•     Effects of having a stigmatized status within
  intergroup contact situations

80
Student Evaluation
..Despite of being designed in uncommon way
for Georgian students I find it very interesting,
the lectures are built on Discussions, what helps
us to develop critical thinking ability, also
interaction between students and lecturer is a
big advantage of the course.

81
Student Evaluation
Course helps me in identification of social
factors influencing my clients mental health.
Besides, knowledge that I receive about stress,
helps me to predict forthcoming exacerbation of
my clients mental condition, and hence it helps
my in it's prevention and case management.

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Student Evaluation
,,The only disadvantage is that the course can
only be chosen by students who are fluent in
English.. ..it frustrates the students who
would like to choose this course and cannot do
this because of the requirement mentioned
above.

83
Acknowledgements
American Councils Junior faculty Development
Program Ilan Mayer Curriculum by Ilan Mayer
(Associate Professor of Columbia University,
School of Public Health) served as the basis for
developing the proposed syllabus

84
Acknowledgements
Kristina Vacharadze Tamar Japaridze Khathuna
Ioseliani Open Society
Institute Academic Fellowship Program (AFP )
Tamar Abashidze Associate Professor of Tbilisi
State University, Department of
Psychology Marine Chitashvili Professor of
Tbilisi State University

85

Thank You