The Social Psychology of Stigma

Book excerpt: The volume demonstrates that stigma is a normal - albeit undesirable - consequence of people's limited cognitive resources, and of the social information and experiences to which they are exposed. Incorporated are the perspectives of both the perceiver and the target; the relevance of personal and collective identities; and the interplay of affective, cognitive, and behavioral processes. Particular attention is given to how stigmatized persons make meaning of their predicaments, such as by forming alternative, positive group identities.