The Personal-Group Discrimination Discrepancy in Persons Living With Psoriasis

Abstract

Prior research has shown that women, ethnic minorities, gay men, and lesbians perceive more discrimination directed at their group than at themselves. This study examined whether or not this personal-group discrimination discrepancy extends to members of a physically stigmatized group. Men (N = 58) and women (N = 43) living with psoriasis were asked to imagine the extent to which the average person with psoriasis is discriminated against and the degree to which they are personally discriminated against because of psoriasis in specific domains and in general. Women with psoriasis showed a smaller personal-group discrimination discrepancy than did men with psoriasis because of higher ratings for personal discrimination. These results point to the "double jeopardy" of life as a woman and as a person living with psoriasis. The fact that women's ratings for group discrimination showed less variability than their ratings for personal discrimination also suggests that women may be using a shared stereotype about the level of discrimination encountered by their group.