OBESITY AS A CHARACTEROLOGICAL STIGMA: THE ISSUE OF RESPONSIBILITY AND JUDGMENTS OF TASK PERFORMANCE

• DOI: 10.2466/pr0.1993.73.3.963
• Publication Date: 2011-08-31T16:24:54Z
• Authors: WILLIAM DEJONG
• Keywords: Stigma

A study was conducted to investigate whether beliefs about the cause of a person's obesity would influence attributions made that task performance. 168 high school girls were shown videotape an obese or normal-weight confederate playing game and performing either above below average. Half subjects seeing girl led believe her due glandular disorder beyond control. Subjects rated target as more self-indulgent less self-disciplined than target, except when said have resulted from disorder. However, did not differentially attribute confederate's performance function weight perceived responsibility for it. Corroborating results earlier studies, no evidence found these subscribe stereotype jolly fat person.