Challenging oppression: a social identity model of stigma resistance in higher-weight individuals

Angela Meadows*, Suzanne Higgs

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

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Abstract

Many higher-weight individuals have internalised societal weight stigma, devaluing themselves because of their weight. Rejecting and challenging societal devaluation is generally associated with superior outcomes compared with stigma internalisation or inaction; however, stigma resistance has not been studied in higher-weight individuals, despite ubiquitous weight stigma in daily life. Applying a social identity framework, we utilised decision tree analysis to explore predictors of responses to weight stigma in 931 self-classified higher-weight individuals. While ingroup identification with the group ‘Fat’ was the major predictor of stigma resistance (versus internalisation), perceived illegitimacy of societal weight stigma defined a subgroup of resisters even in the absence of group identity. Interventions focusing on the illegitimacy of unequal social status and treatment may be effective at reducing internalisation and fostering resistance in a population with characteristically low ingroup identity.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)237-245
Number of pages9
JournalBody Image
Volume42
Early online date8 Jul 2022
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - Sept 2022

Bibliographical note

Publisher Copyright:
© 2022 The Authors

Keywords

  • Internalized stigma
  • Psychological wellbeing
  • Social identity
  • Stigma resistance
  • Weight stigma

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Social Psychology
  • Applied Psychology
  • Psychology(all)

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