The Six Dimensions of Stigma
While often incorrectly attributed to Goffman the "Six Dimensions of Stigma" were not his invention. They were developed to augment Goffman's two levels - the discredited and the discreditable. Goffman considered individuals whose stigmatizing attributes are not immediately evident. In that case, the individual can encounter two distinct social atmospheres. In the first, he is discreditable—his stigma has yet to be revealed, but may be revealed either intentionally by him (in which case he will have some control over how) or by some factor he cannot control. Of course, it also might be successfully concealed; Goffman called this passing. In this situation, the analysis of stigma is concerned only with the behaviors adopted by the stigmatized individual to manage his identity: the concealing and revealing of information. In the second atmosphere, he is discredited—his stigma has been revealed and thus it affects not only his behavior but the behavior of others. Jones et al. (1984) added the "six dimensions" and correlate them to Goffman's two types of stigma, discredited and discreditable:
There are six dimensions that match these two types of stigma:
- Concealable - extent to which others can see the stigma
- Course of the mark - whether the stigma's prominence increases, decreases, or remains consistent over time
- Disruptiveness - the degree to which the stigma and/or others' reaction to it impede social interactions
- Aesthetics - the subset of others' reactions to the stigma comprising reactions that are positive/approving or negative/disapproving but represent estimations of qualities other than the stigmatized person's inherent worth or dignity
- Origin - whether others think the stigma is present at birth, accidental, or deliberate
- Peril - the danger that others perceive (whether accurately or inaccurately) the stigma to pose to them
(Jones, et al., 1984, often incorrectly attributed to Jacoby, 2005 who was citing Jones, et al.)
Read more about this topic: Social Stigma, Main Theories and Contributions
Famous quotes containing the word dimensions:
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