Stigmatization due to the label "alcoholic": Gender, adjustment and recovery descriptor effects

Connie Bea Natvig, Purdue University

Abstract

This experiment explored the influence of interviewees' status of alcoholism (recovering, drinking alcoholic, or no label/control) on observers' social perception and behavioral intentions. The level of interviewees' adjustment, gender, and alcoholism status all had impact on ratings. Well-adjusted interviewees were rated more positively than poorly-adjusted interviewees on all measures. Although men tended to see recovering men as just as well-adjusted and just as likely to experience interpersonal success as the "no label" man, women tended to see recovering women as equivalent to the drinking "alcoholic." However, opposite sex ratings were not affected by alcoholism labels. Further, regardless of gender, raters were most willing to be closely interpersonally involved with the "no label" interviewee, followed by the "recovering alcoholic," who was rated better than the drinking "alcoholic."

Degree

Ph.D.

Advisors

Conger, Purdue University.

Subject Area

Psychotherapy|Social psychology

COinS