Obesity
While there is concern in many circles about the effect of images of beauty in our society on the psychological well-being of children, the reverse receives less study. Despite the fact that obesity rates are rising, there remains prejudice in American society against the obese, perhaps in part because they do not conform in any way to the typical images of beauty. It is worth exploring, however, just how prevalent prejudice against the obese is. Many prejudices have deep antecedents and this is no different -- consider how often the obese are subject to accusations of the "sins" of gluttony and sloth.
This paper focuses on three articles about obesity prejudice. Tausch and Hewstone (2010) asked whether group stereotypes were malleable in the face of disconfirming information. The authors noted that individuals resist changing stereotypes even when presented with such information, but questioned whether that behavior would be observed in a group context, where social dynamics can affect one's beliefs differently than would occur at the individual level. Devine (2001) offers a study on the nature of prejudice. Her research question related to how people's prejudices are triggered. She wanted to know if prejudices are triggered automatically with exposure to the stigmatized group, or if such prejudice triggers could be manipulated to change the reactions of people when faced with the stigmatized group. In a third study, directly related to obesity, Chambliss, Finley and Blair (2004) sought to determine if there were specific characteristics within individuals that would make them more or less likely to exhibit prejudice against obese individuals. The study also sought to determine the prevalence of anti-fat prejudice among exercise science students -- the same people who could and should be helping obese individuals to achieve better health outcomes and who can be opinion leaders for society with respect to society's views about obese individuals.
Blatant or Subtle?
The distinction between blatant and subtle prejudice reflects how prejudice is activated in the individual. Devine (2001, 757) notes that "even those who consciously renounce prejudice have been shown to have implicit or automatic biases that conflict with their nonprejudiced values that may disadvantage the targets of these biases." She notes that the tools for measuring such subtle prejudice have become more sophisticated, allowing us to better understand implicit biases. Often, the obese are subject to implicit bias -- being passed over for promotions, seen as less desirable partners, etc. The targeted individuals are likely more aware of the bias than the biased individual, as the former is more aware of the behavior patterns that manifest the bias, a result of their own personal experience. Devine notes, however, that implicit prejudice triggers are at least partly dependent on context, and that changes in the external context can result in changes to the way that the bias manifests. This has interesting implications for obese individuals. It is expected, for example, that a well-dressed obese person might receive less stigmatization than a poorly-dressed one, or that one with sophisticated taste in food might be regarded better by society than one who prefers junk food. Triggers that affect the appearance of the person can change the context, as can triggers that affect the perception of the obese person's behavior. Devine's work shows the subtle nature of this prejudice by showing how it can be changed with different changes in context.
The Chambliss study dealt with more blatant forms of prejudice against obese people. This again reflects context. The prejudice was found in that study to be fairly blatant, among a group of science exercise students. The bias was rooted in the bad/good and lazy/motivated pairing, highlighting the perception that obese people are lazy (the sin of sloth). Furthermore, there were correlations between having no family history of obesity or a belief in greater personal control of obesity and linking not just antifat bias but also social/character disparagement. Thus,...
Our semester plans gives you unlimited, unrestricted access to our entire library of resources —writing tools, guides, example essays, tutorials, class notes, and more.
Get Started Now