Reducing Objectification Could Tackle Stigma in the COVID-19 Pandemic: Evidence From China

Frontiers in Psychology

Jiahui Jin¹  Xiangyang Zhang²  Weizhen Dong³  Qi Zhang⁴  Chun Chen⁵  Youli Chen⁶ 

[1] College of Humanities and Communication, Zhejiang University of Finance and Economics, Hangzhou, China;Department of Procurement, First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, China;Department of Sociology and Legal Studies, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, ON, Canada;School of Community and Environmental Health, College of Health Sciences, Old Dominion University, Norfolk, VA, United States;School of Public Health and Management, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, China;Tongji Medical College, Wuhan Union Hospital, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China;

关键词: stigma;    COVID-19;    self-categorization theory;    core social motives;    objectification;    moderation analysis;    China;   

DOI  :  10.3389/fpsyg.2021.664422

来源: Frontiers

【 摘 要 】

Stigmatization associated with the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is expected to be a complex issue and to extend into the later phases of the pandemic, which impairs social cohesion and relevant individuals' well-being. Identifying contributing factors and learning their roles in the stigmatization process may help tackle the problem. This study quantitatively assessed the severity of stigmatization against three different groups of people: people from major COVID-19 outbreak sites, those who had been quarantined, and healthcare workers; explored the factors associated with stigmatization within the frameworks of self-categorization theory and core social motives; and proposed solutions to resolve stigma. The cross-sectional online survey was carried out between April 21 and May 7, 2020, using a convenience sample, which yielded 1,388 valid responses. Employing data analysis methods like multivariate linear regression and moderation analysis, this study yields some main findings: (1) those from major COVID-19 outbreak sites received the highest level of stigma; (2) factors most closely associated with stigmatization, in descending order, are objectification and epidemic proximity in an autonomic aspect and fear of contracting COVID-19 in a controllable aspect; and (3) superordinate categorization is a buffering moderator in objectification–stigmatization relationship. These findings are important for further understanding COVID-19-related stigma, and they can be utilized to develop strategies to fight against relevant discrimination and bias. Specifically, reinforcing superordinate categorization by cultivating common in-group identity, such as volunteering and donating for containment of the pandemic, could reduce objectification and, thus, alleviate stigma.

【 授权许可】

CC BY