Research shows that ethnic minorities are at increased risk of loneliness compared to the
general population of the United Kingdom. We hypothesized that stigma salience increases
loneliness among ethnic minorities, conducting two experimental studies with ethnic minorities
(Study 1: N = 134, Study 2: N = 267) in which participants ...
Research shows that ethnic minorities are at increased risk of loneliness compared to the
general population of the United Kingdom. We hypothesized that stigma salience increases
loneliness among ethnic minorities, conducting two experimental studies with ethnic minorities
(Study 1: N = 134, Study 2: N = 267) in which participants were randomly assigned to a stigma
salience (recalling a personal experience of discrimination based upon ethnicity) or control
condition (recalling a past meal in Study 1 and the experience of reading a book in Study 2).
Across these two studies, we demonstrated that stigma salience consistently increased selfreported loneliness relative to the control conditions. Study 1 additionally showed evidence for
an indirect effect of stigma salience on loneliness through feelings of anxiety. Study 2 replicated
the effect of self-relevant (but not non-self-relevant) stigma salience on loneliness and provided
suggestive evidence for a more specific indirect effect through identity-related social anxiety.