Concealing a stigmatized identity causes more distress than revealing it

Evidence

One way in which targets of prejudice may distance themselves from a devalued ingroup is to deny membership in the stigmatized group. Allport (1954/1979) argued, “Perhaps the simplest response a victim can make is to deny his membership in a disparaged group” (p. 145). This response, however, is also perhaps the most psychologically costly a target of prejudice can make. People who deny or conceal a stigma from close others may experience more distress that those who do not deny or conceal it (Major & Gramzow, 2000). — , Rudman, Laurie A - On the Nature of…, 956

Categorization

• XREF: Corroborates the vault’s prejudice-psychology thread on identity-concealment costs, echoing findings around stigma management. — connects to: Being unable to name oppression’s source intensifies its psychological harm — Philip S. Gorski and Samuel L. Perry, The Flag and the Cross: White Christian…, 16
• corroborated: 2 independent passages support this claim — , Rudman, Laurie A - On the Nature of…, 956