It is your fault: workplace consequences of anti-Asian stigma during COVID-19

Abstract

PurposeAs COVID-19 cases rose in the US, so too did instances of discrimination against Asians. The current research seeks to understand and document discrimination toward Asians in the US specifically linked to the global pandemic (study 1). The authors test hypotheses based in social categorization and intergroup contact theories, demonstrating perceived pandemic blame is a mechanism for discrimination (study 2).Design/methodology/approachIn study 1, the authors survey Asians living in the US regarding experiences and perceptions of COVID-19-related discrimination. In study 2, a two-time point survey examined whether participant perceptions of pandemic blame toward China predict discriminatory behavior toward Asians.FindingsStudy 1 demonstrated that 22.5% of US-residing Asians report personally encountering pandemic-related discrimination. Study 2 indicated that COVID-19 blame attributions toward China predicted anticipated hiring bias and increased physical distancing of Asians at work, associated with higher levels of US identification.Research limitations/implicationsThe findings have theoretical implications for research on blame and stigmatization, as well as practical implications regarding bias mitigation.Originality/valueThe present studies advance understanding of event-based blame as a driver of prejudice and discrimination at work and suggest organizations attend to bias mitigation in conjunction with uncertainty reduction communications in challenging times.

Gender and Political Conservatism as Predictors of Blaming Asian Victims of Hate Crimes in the U.S. during the COVID-19 Pandemic

“…People with this belief would be likely to attribute the causes and consequences of COVID-19 to Asians (e.g., "the culprits" of spreading the virus to others in the U.S. population). Such beliefs were found in a recent study to have significant workplace consequences in which COVID-19-related blaming was associated with a lower tendency to select Asian employees and an increased level of social distancing with Asians in the work-place (Gardner et al, 2021). This blaming perspective supports the belief that Asians deserve to be treated negatively.…”

The influence of COVID on Chinese younger and older adults' attitudes toward the US and the factors that can affect their attitudes and negative emotions

“…The questionnaire has been separated into seven parts: general bias against the US, information overload about COVID (adapted by Karr-Wisniewski, 2010), unintentionally spread rumors, unintentionally spread rumors about the US, responsibility (adapted by Gardner et al, 2021), negative emotions (Watson et al, 1988), and others (adapted by Yu et al, 2020). Following example questions are used in the questionnaires for general bias against the US and information overload about COVID: Americans admire and love freedom, Americans prioritize their interests, and since the pandemic, I found that I was drowned by excess information about COVID.…”

Is COVID-19 Like a Zombie Apocalypse? Using Horror Films to Examine the Pandemic and Social Inequalities

“…In turn, the COVID-19 pandemic has amplified social, economic, and health inequalities. Pandemic-related policies and public discourse, in particular, have exacerbated preexisting inequalities by fueling stigma and blame ( Gardner, Briggs, and Ryan 2021 ; Yoshioka and Maeda 2020 ), racism and xenophobia ( Elias et al 2021 ), social isolation ( Wu 2020 ), ageism ( Silva et al 2021 ), sexism ( Dlamini 2021 ), ableism ( Andrews et al 2021 ; Sakellariou, Malfitano, and Rotarou 2020 ), and more.…”