The effect of controllability of stigma on the attribution of prejudice was investigated in a series of five experiments. In prior prejudice attribution research, the stigma that made the victim subject to discrimination was a characteristic beyond the individual's control, such as age or race. In the present research, controllability of the stigma was systematically varied. Subjects read scenarios in which persons with flaws of speech or appearance were subject to discriminatory behaviors of derogation, exclusion, or unfair treatment. The flaws were either within or beyond the control of the individual possessing them. More prejudice was attributed to those who behaved in a discriminatory way toward persons whose flaws were beyond their control. The theoretical explanation offered for the outcome is that discrimination can be thought of as form of harmdoing, and prejudice attribution as a form of blame attribution.
In Experiment 1, subjects rated the likelihood that an individual would follow up socially with each of two persons, one of whom had overcome a stigma by his or her own efforts. Persons with a history of stigma who were currently as desirable as the comparison person were subject to the same social deficit as if they were less desirable; only if persons with a history of stigma were currently more desirable than the comparison person were they equally preferred as dates. A second experiment indicated that the "once flawed" effect applies to objects as well as to persons. A third experiment that broke down positive evaluation into the two dimensions of respect/admiration and "wanting to be with" found that people admire those who have overcome a stigma by their own efforts but would rather be with those who never had a stigma.
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