Explaining prejudice toward the mentally ill: A test of sociopolitical, demographic, and socioeconomic factors. Issue 12 (3rd October 2017)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Johansson, Ole J.; Kunst, Jonas R.
• Is Part Of: Journal of applied social psychology. Volume 47:Issue 12(2017)
• Page Start: 682
• Page End: 695
• Publication Date: 2017-10-03
• Subjects: Social psychology -- Periodicals; Behavior -- Periodicals; Psychology, Social -- Periodicals; 302
• DOI: 10.1111/jasp.12483
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0021-9029

Abstract

Abstract: People with mental disorders often face prejudices that can further deteriorate their condition. We tested whether Social Dominance Orientation (SDO), Right‐Wing Authoritarianism (RWA), and Belief in a Just World (BJW), and characteristics of the mentally ill predict such prejudices. Both in a general population sample and a sample of health professionals and trainees, SDO, but not RWA and BJW, predicted more prejudice, although this pattern was less pronounced among health professionals/trainees. BJW interacted with the targets' gender in Study 1, predicting less empathy toward a male but not toward a female mentally ill person. In Study 2, depressed individuals were blamed more for their illness than those with schizophrenia or cancer. Implications for future research and clinical practice are discussed.