When identity hurts: how positive intragroup experiences yield negative mental health implications for ethnic and sexual minorities
Begeny, CT; Huo, YJ
Date: 2017
Journal
European Journal of Social Psychology
Publisher
Wiley
Publisher DOI
Abstract
Two studies (longitudinal, N=510; cross-sectional; N=249) explain how feeling
valued in one’s ethnic/sexual minority group has benefits for mental health but also certain
costs through the way it shapes minorities’ identity. Drawing from the intragroup status and
health model (ISAH) we posit that when individuals feel valued in their ...
Two studies (longitudinal, N=510; cross-sectional; N=249) explain how feeling
valued in one’s ethnic/sexual minority group has benefits for mental health but also certain
costs through the way it shapes minorities’ identity. Drawing from the intragroup status and
health model (ISAH) we posit that when individuals feel valued in their minority group it
bolsters group identification; with greater identity-centrality individuals tend to view daily
social interactions through the ‘lens’ of their minority group and ultimately perceive more
discrimination. Discrimination, in turn, negatively shapes health. Thus, feeling valued in
one’s minority group has benefits for health but also indirect costs, perhaps counterintuitively
by strengthening minority group identity. Both studies supported these predictions. Study 2
also supported an adapted ISAH model, for use in the context of concealable stigmatized
identities (sexual minorities). Overall, the ISAH model explains why feeling valued and
having strong social identities are not always beneficial, yielding certain costs for stigmatized
individuals’ health.
Psychology - old structure
Collections of Former Colleges
Item views 0
Full item downloads 0