Subtly emotionally and culturally discriminating against a target with depression

What is it about?

This study aims to understand, firstly, the possibility of emotionally infrahumanizing a target suffering from depression (using a mental illness label with a set of symptoms), a characteristic that carries a highly emotional aspect uniquely human. Next, it assesses the deculturalization of the same target suffering from depression. Additionally, in these studies, the desire for social distancing and blatant dehumanization are evaluated. Results across the two studies show a tendency toward more subtle forms of stigmatization, with cultural infrahumanization being more evident than emotional infrahumanization.

Featured Image

Photo by K. Mitch Hodge on Unsplash

Photo by K. Mitch Hodge on Unsplash

Why is it important?

Rare are the studies that assess emotional infrahumanization in the context of mental illness, and null are those that evaluate infrahumanization through cultural traits, subtle and useful measures in the study, not only in this important context but also in various contexts. These results have allowed for the identification of more suitable/accurate measures of a specific type of subtle discrimination, infrahumanization, against individuals perceived as having depression. These findings bring significant insights into the psychosocial implications of this form of discrimination. Through this new approach, researchers will be able to identify and understand the negative impacts that this form of discrimination can have on the mental health of depressed individuals and on coping strategies and help-seeking behaviors.