For groups unlikely to be blamed for their membership (e.g., people with congenital disability, racial minorities), reducing essentialist thinking could ameliorate stigma.

Essentialism's Implications for Reducing Stigma for Congenital Disabilities

For groups whose conditions might be perceived as controllable and blameworthy (e.g., people with acquired disability, chronic illness like HIV, LGBTQ people, obese people), increasing essentialism may actually reduce blame and therefore stigma.

Essentialism's Implications for Reducing Stigma for Acquired Disabilities

- Implications for Acquired Disability Stigma
- Implications for Congenital Disability Stigma

State University of New York at Binghamton

- Acquired Disability Stigma
- Congenital Disability Stigma
- Contrasting Implications for Reducing Disability Stigma
- The role of the social model of disability

Essentialism's Complex Impact on Disability Stigma

Bogart, K. R., Rosa, N. M., & Slepian, M. L. (2018). Born that way or became that way: Stigma toward congenital versus acquired disability. Group Processes & Intergroup Relations, 22(4), 594-612. https://doi.org/10.1177/1368430218757897 (Original work published 2019)

Reference: Stigma Towards Congenital Versus Acquired Disability

- Essentializing an Acquired Disability
- Non-essentializing an Acquired Disability
- Implications for Reducing Disability Stigma

Essentialism's Impact on Acquired Disability Stigma

- Essentializing for congenital disabilities
- Implications for Reducing Disability Stigma

Essentialism's Impact on Congenital Disability Stigma

The social model of disability, which frames disability as socially constructed and a universal experience, is suggested as a way to reduce both essentialism and blame, leading to lower stigma and greater support for disability policies.

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