1988/11/01 by Bernard Weiner, Raymond P. Perry, Jamie Magnusson · 1,709 citations
Psychology · Social Sciences · #Anger #Attribution #Attribution bias #Child and Adolescent Psychosocial and Emotional Development #Clinical psychology #Cultural Differences and Values #Developmental psychology #Early Childhood Education and Development #Hostility #Intervention (counseling) #Neglect #Perception #Pity #Psychiatry #Psychological intervention #Psychology #Social psychology
paper · doi:10.1037/0022-3514.55.5.738
published in Journal of Personality and Social Psychology 55(5), 738-748 (American Psychological Association)
openalex publication_date 1988/11/01 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/08/05
In two experiments, we examined the perceived controllability and stability of the causes of 10 stigmas. Guided by attribution theory, we also ascertained the affective reactions of pity and anger, helping judgments, and the efficacy of five intervention techniques. In the first study we found that physically based stigmas were perceived as onset-uncontrollable, and elicited pity, no anger, and judgments to help. On the other hand, mental-behavioral stigmas were perceived as onset-controllable, and elicited little pity, much anger, and judgments to neglect. In addition, physically based stigmas were perceived as stable, or irreversible, whereas mental-behavioral stigmas were generally considered unstable, or reversible. The perceived efficacy of disparate interventions was guided in part by beliefs about stigma stability. In the second study we manipulated perceptions of causal controllability. Attributional shifts resulted in changes in affective responses and behavioral judgments. However, attributional alteration was not equally possible for all the stigmas.