Psychiatric Labelling, Sex Role Stereotypes and Beliefs About the Mentally Ill

Stephanie Cormack and Adrian Furnham
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Stephanie Cormack: Department of Psychology, University College London, 26 Bedford Way, London WC1 0AP
Adrian Furnham: Department of Psychology, University College London, 26 Bedford Way, London WC1 0AP

International Journal of Social Psychiatry, 1998, vol. 44, issue 4, 235-247

Abstract: This study aimed to investigate the effect of two main variables on specific attitudes and beliefs about mental illness. The first variable tested the labelling theory proposal that the label of mental illness per se is stigmatizing for those so labelled. The second tested the proposal of Rosenfield (1982) that males and females receive a more severe societal reaction for deviance when the deviant behaviour is inconsistent with traditional sex role norms. Questionnaires with vignettes describ ing four behaviour types were given to young adult respondents. The expected effect of a psychiatric diagnosis and of deviance from sex role stereotypes were not confirmed. It was concluded that while several variables combine to influence specific attitudes and beliefs about the mentally ill, the type of behaviour displayed is the crucial factor.

Date: 1998
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:sae:socpsy:v:44:y:1998:i:4:p:235-247

DOI: 10.1177/002076409804400401

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