Antecedents of Stigma Consciousness in Members of Disadvantaged Groups

• Applicant: Professorin Dr. Juliane Degner
• Subject Area: Social Psychology, Industrial and Organisational Psychology
• Term: since 2025
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 572174304

Individuals belonging to stigmatized groups often face significant challenges stemming from stereotypes, prejudice, and discrimination targeting their social identity. However, the impact stigma on individual psychology varies widely among members of stigmatized groups. A key mediating variable in this variability is stigma consciousness, which refers to the degree of awareness and anticipation of being stereotyped or discriminated against because of one's group membership. Individuals with high stigma consciousness are acutely and chronically aware of how stigma affects their individual lives, whereas those with low stigma consciousness tend to pay little attention to their stigmatized identity. Previous research has established that stigma consciousness has profound consequences for individuals’ coping mechanisms in the face of group stigmatization, affecting their physical and mental well-being, as well as their performance and social interactions across various contexts. Despite the recognized importance of stigma consciousness, there remains a considerable gap regarding the theoretical conceptualisation and empirical examination of its origins. This research project aims to systematically investigate the antecedents of stigma consciousness among members of stigmatized groups, focusing on individual, interpersonal, group-specific, and contextual factors that contribute to the formation and change of stigma consciousness. We will address several overarching research questions: What individual characteristics predispose individuals to develop higher or lower levels of stigma consciousness? How do interpersonal experiences and intergroup contacts influence levels of stigma consciousness? What roles do parental and group-specific socialization practices play? Are there differences in stigma consciousness among various stigmatized groups, and if so, what group and stigma characteristics account for these variations? Furthermore, which broader societal and contextual factors contribute to the development of stigma consciousness? To address these questions, we employ a multi-method approach across five interconnected work packages, utilizing qualitative, retrospective, longitudinal, correlational, and experimental methods. A crucial aspect of this endeavour is to enhance the theoretical and practical framework of this research proposal, grounded in psychological literature, by incorporating a qualitative participatory research component that centres on the perspectives of individuals affected by stigma. This approach will enable us to integrate their insights into the formulation of research questions and hypotheses, as well as the operationalization and procedures of all work packages. We anticipate that our findings will deepen theoretical understanding, guide future research efforts, and inform practical interventions designed to mitigate the detrimental effects of stigma.

• DFG Programme: Research Grants