Socially Stigmatized and Nonstigmatized Confederates

Many experiments have been conducted on the interactions between physically stigmatized and physically nonstigmatized persons. Examples of such experiments are those by Hunt and Jones (1985), Korman (l994), Sutherland, Cowin, and Holmes (1979), and by Vaughn (1985). Findings from these experiments revealed that nonstigmatized participants often experience anxiety when interacting with a physically stigmatized individual, terminate the interaction sooner when dealing with a physically stigmatized person as opposed to a nonstigmatized individual, and position themselves significantly closer to other nonstigmatized individuals than they do to the physically stigmatized.

Baysinger (1989) suggested that the physically stigmatized individual (i.e., those with physical characteristics that produced an intense negative reaction) elicits behaviors from physically normal persons that hinder the possibility of the establishment of a stable relationship with the stigmatized person. He believed the physically stigmatized individual is often discredited and stereotyped in the eyes of others.

Relatively little attention was devoted to studying the effects of social stigmas (i.e.,nonphysical behavioral characteristics that have a negative evaluation) on interpersonal behavior. However, studies by Lewis (1978), McCann and Barnes (1995), Mondon and Bacon (1994), Spears (1987) and Rock (1983) found that normal participants tend to select a greater interaction distance when interviewing a supposed epileptic than when interviewing another normal person.

The present experiment was concerned with the selection of interaction distances when normal college students are involved in an informal interaction with either a socially stigmatized or nonstigmatized confederate. The social stigma was bisexuality. It was expected that participants interacting with the socially stigmatized confederate would select significantly greater interaction distances than would participants interacting with the nonstigmatized confederate.

Method

Participants