Negative attention from authorities can reinforce a negative identity.

Evidence

To individuals already suffering from identity confusion, the attention paid them by the government not only confirms a negative identity but makes them feel like “somebody.” They are gratified to be sufficiently important to be the object of excessive attention, even if that attention is negative. Harassment or surveillance is preferable to being ignored by society. — John T. Jost and Jim Sidanius, Political Psychology, 4130

Categorization

• XREF: Reverses the strategic-essentialism premise: for these subjects the essentialized (negative) identity is internalized as genuinely real, illustrating the collapse-side of the bind the reader is tracing. — connects to: Negative government attention beats being ignored for identity-confused people. — John T. Jost and Jim Sidanius, Political Psychology, 4130; Blocked economic opportunity can redirect individuals into negative identity roles.; Terrorists seek social disapproval that confirms their adopted negative identity. — John T. Jost and Jim Sidanius, Political Psychology, 4162 (+4 more)

Broader Connections

• Negative government attention beats being ignored for identity-confused people. #corroborates (0.85) — John T. Jost and Jim Sidanius, Political Psychology, 4130
• Terrorists seek social disapproval that confirms their adopted negative identity. #corroborates (0.85) — John T. Jost and Jim Sidanius, Political Psychology, 4162
• Blocked economic opportunity can redirect individuals into negative identity roles. #expands (0.80)
• Blocked economic paths to positive identity can push individuals into negative identities #expands (0.80) — John T. Jost and Jim Sidanius, Political Psychology, 4126
• Individual identity is strengthened by representation in others’ attention #complicates (0.75) — Yves Citton, The Ecology of Attention, 493
• Attentional exploitation can be transformed into a basis for collective political identity #expands (0.75)