Weight discrimination as a predictor of stress and eating: The role of identifying as "fat".

Weight discrimination is associated with deleterious health outcomes, including high stress and disordered eating. According to the rejection-identification model, people who perceive such group-based discrimination respond by identifying more strongly with their stigmatized group, which can attenuate negative consequences of discrimination. However, some research shows that these protective benefits may not exist in the weight domain.

Identifying as fat: Examining weight discrimination and the rejection-identification model.

Discrimination towards fat individuals is pervasive in the United States, and perceptions of weight discrimination are associated with poor physical and mental health outcomes (e.g., low well-being).

Is LGBT progress seen as an attack on Christians?: Examining Christian/sexual orientation zero-sum beliefs.

As social policies have changed to grant more rights to lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) individuals, some Christians in the United States have suggested that LGBT rights impede Christians' religious freedom. Across five studies, we examined the causes and consequences of zero-sum beliefs (ZSBs) about Christians and LGBT individuals. We demonstrate that Christians' beliefs about conflict with sexual minorities are shaped by their understandings of Christian values, social change, interpretation of the Bible, and in response to religious institutions.

Examining the impact of perceived weight discrimination on reported eating and exercise among White and Latino/a adults.

A large body of research suggests that, among White individuals, perceived weight discrimination has deleterious consequences for eating and exercise outcomes; however, the research literature on perceived weight discrimination among other racial/ethnic groups is limited. The primary goal of the present study was to examine the associations of perceived weight discrimination with eating and exercise thoughts and behaviors among White versus Latino/a participants. A sample of White (N = 50) and Latino/a (N = 281) undergraduate college students with higher body weight (BMI: M = 30.

Evidence of palliative care stigma: The role of negative stereotypes in preventing willingness to use palliative care.

Objective: Although palliative care is critical to managing symptoms, pain, and transitions to end-of-life care among those facing serious or chronic illness, it is often underused, which may be due to stigma associated with palliative care representing giving up fighting one's illness. The goal of the present studies was to test the theoretical framework of stigma within the context of palliative care to inform future work on intervention development that addresses potential barriers to palliative care utilization.

Method: In study 1, participants (n = 152) had an oncologist describe two treatment options to a terminally ill cancer patient: (1) palliative care and (2) chemotherapy.

Conflicting Motivations: Understanding How Low-Status Group Members Respond to Ingroup Discrimination Claimants.

Previous research has found that among low-status individuals, both group identification (GID) and status-legitimizing beliefs (SLBs) motivate varying responses to ingroup discrimination claimants. SLBs are traditionally thought to motivate decreased support for low-status claimants, while GID is thought to motivate increased liking and support of ingroup members. The current research examines these conflicting influences on ingroup claimants among women (Studies 1a and 1b) and Latino/as (Studies 2 and 3).

Sex differences in the relationships among weight stigma, depression, and binge eating.

Weight stigma and weight discrimination are prevalent in the United States and binge eating has been found to be associated with these experiences in numerous studies. One issue with the current literature on weight stigma and binge eating, however, is that study samples are primarily female, resulting in a lack of understanding of this relationship among males. To address this gap, we examined potential sex differences in the association between weight stigma and binge eating, as well as mediators of this relationship.

Weight stigma facilitates unhealthy eating and weight gain via fear of fat.

Objective: Across two studies, we examine if the relationships between perceived weight stigma, maladaptive eating behaviors (Study 1 & 2) and weight gain (Study 2) are mediated by fear of fat (FOF).

Method: In Study 1, 189 participants completed measures of eating behavior (e.g.

Weight stigma predicts inhibitory control and food selection in response to the salience of weight discrimination.

Objective: Fear and stigmatization are often used to motivate individuals with higher body weight to engage in healthy behaviors, but these strategies are sometimes counterproductive, leading to undesirable outcomes. In the present study, the impact of weight-based stigma on cognition (i.e.

Priming status-legitimizing beliefs: Examining the impact on perceived anti-White bias, zero-sum beliefs, and support for Affirmative Action among White people.

The current research examines how status-legitimizing beliefs (SLBs) influence White people's perceptions of anti-White bias, endorsement of zero-sum beliefs, and support for Affirmative Action. We suggest that SLBs perpetuate inequality by increasing White people's perceptions of zero-sum beliefs and anti-White bias, which in turn lead to decreased support for Affirmative Action. White individuals primed with SLBs perceived greater anti-White bias, endorsed greater zero-sum beliefs, and indicated less support for Affirmative Action than individuals primed with neutral content.

Is the Belief in Meritocracy Palliative for Members of Low Status Groups? Evidence for a Benefit for Self-Esteem and Physical Health via Perceived Control.

Consensually held ideologies may serve as the cultural "glue" that justifies hierarchical status differences in society (e.g. Augustinos, 1998).

Temperament and Sleep-Wake Behaviors from Infancy to Toddlerhood.

Sleep-wake behaviors and temperament were examined longitudinally for trait stability and relationship to behavioral state regulation from infancy to early childhood. Subjects were 120 low-risk, full-term infants from a middle class sample. At 6 weeks, parents completed 3 consecutive days of the Baby's Day Diary which measures sleep, wake, fuss, feed and cry states and the Infant Characteristics Questionnaire.

Sleep fragmentation and evidence for sleep debt in alcohol-exposed infants.

Background: Infants exposed prenatally to alcohol are at increased risk for poor neurodevelopmental outcome including Sudden Infant Death Syndrome.

Aim: To examine the relationship between prenatal alcohol exposure, sleep, arousal and sleep-related spontaneous motor movements in early infancy.

Study Design: Low-income women (N=13) were interviewed regarding pre- and pregnancy rates of alcohol, cigarette smoking and other substance use in the perinatal period.