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Social Dominance Orientation and Discrimination against People with Schizophrenia: Evidence of Medicalization and Dangerousness Beliefs as Legitimizing Myths

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  25 October 2018

Dimitrios Lampropoulos Open the ORCID record for Dimitrios Lampropoulos [Opens in a new window]  and
Thémis Apostolidis
Dimitrios Lampropoulos*
Affiliation:
Aix Marseille Univ, LPS, Aix en Provence, France
Thémis Apostolidis
Affiliation:
Aix Marseille Univ, LPS, Aix en Provence, France
*
*Correspondence concerning this article should be addressed to Dimitrios Lampropoulos. Aix-Marseille Université. Laboratoire de Psychologie Sociale (EA849). Département de Psychologie Sociale et du Travail. Aix-en-Provence (France). E-mail: dimilamprop@gmail.com
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Abstract

Medicalizing beliefs about schizophrenia (biogenetic causes and psychiatric labels) are connected to the belief that people with schizophrenia are dangerous and to discriminating intentions towards them. In this research, we draw on the Social Dominance theory and we examine these beliefs as legitimizing myths that are connected to the individuals’ social dominance orientation (SDO) and that legitimize discrimination. In total, 238 Humanities students participated in the current research (Mage = 20.4; SD = 3.03; 107 male and 131 female). A vignette presenting a person with schizophrenia symptoms that offered no labels or explanations about the depicted person’s condition was presented to research participants. A structural equation modeling analysis was carried out, in order to confirm our hypotheses in accordance with social dominance theory. Participants’ social dominance orientation (SDO) was associated with higher endorsement of medicalizing (β = .16, p < .01) and dangerousness beliefs (β = .22, p < .001). In turn, medicalizing beliefs were connected to dangerousness (β = .21, p < .001) and higher discriminating intentions, both for desired social distance (β = .15, p < .05) and for deprivation of sociopolitical rights (β = .14, p < .05). Dangerousness was highly associated with both these measures (β = .28, p < .001 and β = 43, p < .001 respectively) while SDO was not significantly associated with discriminating intentions. Our model showed good fit to the data. This study confirms the role of SDO in schizophrenia stigma and the fact that ideological and power factors underpin the stigma of schizophrenia.

Keywords

discriminationmental illnessschizophreniasocial dominance orientationstigma
Type
Research Article
Information
The Spanish Journal of Psychology , Volume 21 , 2018 , E37
Copyright
Copyright © Universidad Complutense de Madrid and Colegio Oficial de Psicólogos de Madrid 2018 

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Footnotes

Funding information: Region of PACA (Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur)

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