A social identity model of weight stigma resistance in high-weight individuals 2015

Meadows, Angela (2020). A social identity model of weight stigma resistance in high-weight individuals 2015. [Data Collection]. Colchester, Essex: UK Data Service. 10.5255/UKDA-SN-854100

Corrigan and Watson’s (2002) paradox model of self-stigma provides a useful rubric for predicting where an individual belonging to a low-status group may fall on a ‘continuum’ between stigma internalisation and resistance. Their model predicts that in the presence of a salient stigmatised or devalued identity, perceived legitimacy of the group’s low status would be the major predictor of internalisation, with high perceived legitimacy predicting internalisation, and with group identification separating out those who perceived societal stigma as illegitimate into either being indifferent (low group identity) or resisting the stigma (high group identity). Thus, Corrigan and Watson’s non-internalisation outcomes were conceptualised as either “indifference” or “righteous anger.”
However, non-internalisation, or resisting devalued status, can encompass a range of attitudes, beliefs, and behaviours. Thoits (2011) classified both social creativity (e.g., reframing) and social change (e.g., collective action) strategies as forms of stigma resistance, but distinguished between what she called “deflection resistance,” encompassing social creativity strategies, and “challenging resistance,” representing social change strategies (Thoits, 2011, p. 12). Thoits noted that deflecting-style resistance, or social creativity, may leave self-esteem intact, but would be unlikely to increase it. In contrast, she noted that challenging-style resistance provides the opportunity for enhancing self-esteem, either by successfully changing people’s attitudes or behaviours toward the group, or simply as a result of empowerment and agency deriving from the sense of taking action.

Data description (abstract)

A total of 931 self-classified 'overweight', 'obese', or 'fat' individuals completed questionnaires online. Measures of global self-esteem (Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale; Rosenberg, 1965), perceived stigma (Stigma Consciousness Questionnaire; Pinel, 1999), Ingroup Identification (Multicomponent Ingroup Identification Scale; Leach et al, 2008), internalised weight stigma (WBIS-2F; Durso & Latner 2008, Meadows & Higgs 2019), weight controllability beliefs (AFAQ-willpower subscale; Quinn & Crocker, 1999), and perceived legitimacy (created for study) were collected, as well as demographic information and self-reported height and weight. Participants were aged 18-69, 85.5% identified as female and 83.7% self-classified as White. BMI range was 25.0-95.0 kg/m2.

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