Bias-Based Cyberaggression in Northwestern Mexican Adolescents: Associations With Moral Disengagement

Although there is a body of literature that addresses victimization of adolescents based on their membership in stigmatized groups, there is little that focuses on this type of aggression delivered digitally. Furthermore, the extant literature typically focuses on the targets of such aggression, but scant attention has been paid to the aggressors. To address this gap, the current study investigated characteristics of perpetrators of bias-based cyberaggression in a sample of 554 self-reported cyber-aggressors among 1695 12- to15-year-old adolescents in northwestern Mexico. Approximately one-fourth of these cyber-aggressors engaged in bias-based cyberaggression. Demographic characteristics were investigated in an attempt to describe those most at risk for perpetration of bias-based aggression. In addition, the influence of moral disengagement was examined in this unique sample. Results showed that cyber-aggressors who were male and younger were disproportionately represented among those whose cyberaggression was motivated by some type of bias. Bias-based cyberaggression was associated with higher levels of several types of moral disengagement. Possible explanations and implications of the findings are discussed.

Stigma, Perceived Discrimination, and Mental Health during China’s COVID-19 Outbreak: A Mixed-Methods Investigation

Research on stigma and discrimination during COVID-19 has focused on racism and xenophobia in Western countries. In comparison, little research has considered stigma processes, discrimination, and their public health implications in non-Western contexts. This study draws on quantitative survey data (N = 7,942) and qualitative interview data (N = 50) to understand the emergence, experiences, and mental health implications of stigma and discrimination during China’s COVID-19 outbreak. Given China’s history of regionalism, we theorize and use a survey experiment to empirically assess region-based stigma: People who lived in Hubei (the hardest hit province) during the outbreak and those who were socially associated with Hubei were stigmatized. Furthermore, the COVID-19 outbreak created stigma around people labeled as patients by the state. These stigmatized groups reported greater perceived discrimination, which—as a stressor—led to psychological distress. Our interview data illuminated how the stigmatized groups perceived, experienced, and coped with discrimination and stigma.

Psychosomatic Symptoms and Neuroticism following COVID-19: The Role of Online Aggression toward a Stigmatized Group

The present study investigated the effect of interpersonal mistreatment on the perpetrators’ mental health. We proposed that the threat of COVID-19 will increase people’s mental health problems through their on-line aggression toward stigmatized groups accused of spreading the disease and that there might be potential gender differences in such effects. We tested our predictions among a sample of U.S. residents (Study 1) and a large sample of Chinese residents living out of Hubei province (Study 2) during a heightened period of concern about COVID-19, February 2020. Specifically, we measured U.S. residents’ on-line aggressive behaviors toward Chinese people (Study 1) and Chinese non-Hubei residents’ on-line aggressive behaviors toward Hubei residents (Study 2) as well as their neuroticism (Study 1) and mental health states (Study 2). In line with our predictions, both studies showed that perceived infection of COVID-19 can induce on-line aggression toward stigmatized groups, thereby increasing people’s mental health problems. Moreover, the relationship between COVID-19 vulnerability, on-line aggression, and psychosomatic symptoms was more prominent in men than in women. These results offer insights into people’s responses toward COVID-19 and add to the understanding of people’s mental and physical health during the epidemic stage of contagious diseases.

Symbolic annihilation of Syrian refugees by Turkish news media during the COVID-19 pandemic

Background This article presents a discussion about the representation of Syrian refugees in Turkish news media during the COVID-19 pandemic. Media play a critical role during pandemics by affecting values, opinions, public knowledge about stigmatized groups. When media ignore and stereotypically represent a social group, the social value of the group decreases, and their problems are trivialized. Method I analyzed data provided by Media Monitoring Center which is an independent media company in Turkey. Sample was selected to reveal news representation of Syrian refugees between March 11, 2020 (the first confirmed case of COVID-19 in Turkey) and August 20, 2020 (the time of this research). Mostly watched television evening (prime) news, the most widely circulated newspapers, and the most visited online news platforms were analyzed. By using content analysis method, the news stories about Syrian refugees were examined. Results It has been revealed that Turkish news media overwhelmingly acclaimed for Turkey’s polices on Syrian refugees and the criticized the European Union policies towards refugees in the news stories. Even though almost 4 million Syrian refugees live in Turkey, with the largest refugee population in the world, Turkish news media ignored the plight of Syrian refugees. Conclusion Results of the study demonstrate that Syrian refugees were symbolically annihilated by Turkish news media during the COVID-19 pandemic. The concealment of information and symbolic annihilation of disadvantaged groups could potentially cause health disparities and irreparable harm to public health. Moreover, inequities exacerbate when predicaments of stigmatized groups are ignored in the news media. Further studies are needed to reveal the impact of the media on health disparities among stigmatized groups during the pandemics.

When seeing stigma creates paternalism: Learning about disadvantage leads to perceptions of incompetence

The present research examines the conditions under which educating non-stigmatized individuals about the experiences of members of stigmatized groups leads to paternalistic or more respectful views of the target. We propose that when these efforts ask members of non-stigmatized groups to focus only on the difficulties experienced by stigmatized targets, they will lead to more paternalistic views of targets because they portray targets as being in need of help. In contrast, we propose that when these efforts take a broader focus on stigmatized targets and include their resilience in the face of their difficulties, they will lead to more respectful views of targets. Four studies supported these predictions. Across studies, White participants who focused only on a Black target’s difficulties subsequently perceived the target as more helpless and less competent than controls. Participants who focused on the target’s resilience in the face of difficulties perceived him as more competent.

Filthy Animals: Disgust, Dehumanization, and Their Role in Fomenting Anti-Immigrant Attitudes During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Disgust and dehumanization both dampen empathy toward outgroups, and dehumanization also often involves representing the target as a disgusting animal. Therefore, we examined the relationship between disgust and dehumanization, documenting robust relationships between them in Americans’ evaluations of a variety of stigmatized groups (Studies 1-2). Since disgust is reliably elicited in the presence of disease threats, we then investigated its relationship with the dehumanization of Chinese people, a group stigmatized due to their association with the COVID-19 pandemic. Americans who felt more vulnerable to disease expressed more disgust toward, and dehumanization of, Chinese people (Study 3). In a final study, we found Americans’ disease concerns predicted their anti-immigrant attitudes, an effect wholly mediated by their disgust toward, and dehumanization of, immigrants. However, this only occurred when the threat of contracting COVID-19 was made salient (Study 4). We conclude that a constellation of disease concerns, disgust, and dehumanization can foment xenophobic attitudes.

Queer Militarism?!

Does advocating for queer and trans people to serve in the US military move the struggle for queer and trans justice forward toward liberation by improving the lives of queer and trans soldiers and increasing societal acceptance of queer and trans people? Or does it legitimize US military imperialism and increase the likelihood of more queer and trans people being abused and traumatized in the US military? This article consists of a conversation between Aaron Belkin, director of the Palm Center, who has spent decades advocating for queer and trans military inclusion, and Dean Spade, a trans racial- and- economic- justice–focused activist and scholar who opposes military inclusion advocacy. The conversation examines fundamental debates about the possibilities and limits of legal equality for marginalized and stigmatized groups, drawing on critical race theory, women of color feminisms, anticolonial critique, and competing theories of queer and trans liberation work.

Refugees Welcome? Online Hate Speech and Sentiments in Twitter in Spain during the Reception of the Boat Aquarius

High-profile events can trigger expressions of hate speech online, which in turn modifies attitudes and offline behavior towards stigmatized groups. This paper addresses the first path of this process using manual and computational methods to analyze the stream of Twitter messages in Spanish around the boat Aquarius (n = 24,254) before and after the announcement of the Spanish government to welcome the boat in June 2018, a milestone for asylum seekers acceptance in the EU and an event that was highly covered by media. It was observed that most of the messages were related to a few topics and had a generally positive sentiment, although a significant part of messages expressed rejection or hate—often supported by stereotypes and lies—towards refugees and migrants and towards politicians. These expressions grew after the announcement of hosting the boat, although the general sentiment of the messages became more positive. We discuss the theoretical, practical, and methodological implications of the study, and acknowledge limitations referred to the examined timeframe and to the preliminary condition of the conclusions.