Confrontation and Beyond: Examining a Stigmatized Target's Use of a Prejudice Reduction Strategy

Abstract

What can stigmatized individuals do to reduce stereotyping, prejudice, and discrimination when they interact with a biased individual? This paper reviews the social psychological literature that examines how targets can be active agents of prejudice reduction for themselves and their group. The extant literature indicates that a target's direct confrontation of bias can reduce prejudice and discrimination against the target's group but that this strategy can also backlash in the form of increased prejudice and discrimination against the target. Other research indicates that presenting a common‐identity, self‐enhancing feedback, and a self‐affirmation can reduce bias against the target but that they may not reliably change bias against the target's group. We conclude by discussing the need for research on the processes by which stigmatized targets decide to use a given bias‐reduction strategy and on the processes by which specific strategies are effective, either alone or in combination, when delivered by a stigmatized target.

Microaggressions Self-Defense: A Role-Playing Workshop for Responding to Microaggressions

“…The following review focuses specifically on "in the moment" responses to biased comments rather than other strategies intended to reduce the potential for bias or discrimination (e.g., Focella et al 2015;Schmader et al 2013) or to cope long-term. Strategies for responding to prejudiced comments generally fall into two categories: active and passive.…”

“…For the purposes of the workshop, confrontation is defined as when the target verbally or non-verbally expresses displeasure with the aggressor's behavior (Focella et al 2015). Confrontation can be especially effective when the goal is to reduce the potential of future prejudiced comments in aggressors and bystanders.…”

“…The literature on confrontation is limited because it does not consider microaggressions in particular and the samples are mostly White college students in experimental situations Focella et al 2015). Few studies examine responses in naturalistic settings or how responses vary according to situational parameters.…”

Microaggressions Self-Defense: A Role-Playing Workshop for Responding to Microaggressions

“…For the purposes of the workshop, confrontation is defined as when the target verbally or nonverbally expresses displeasure with the aggressor's behavior (Focella et al, 2015). Confrontation can be especially effective when the goal is to reduce the potential of future prejudiced comments in aggressors and bystanders.…”

“…Some studies suggest that affirmation is more effective for high-prejudice individuals than other strategies (e.g., Sinclair & Kunda, 1999 (Focella et al, 2015). Alternatively, the target can present statistics or data that contradicts the aggressor, for example, by explaining wage disparities between men and women.…”