Implicit and Explicit Stigmatizing Attitudes and Stereotypes About Depression

Prior research examining stigma toward depression has relied exclusively upon explicit measures, to the exclusion of implicit measures. Focusing exclusively on explicit stigma may provide an incomplete perspective, be subject to social desirability biases, and underestimate the extent of stigma towards depression. Including implicit measures in depression stigma research may provide valuable information on automatic attitudes and stereotypes, which may be more accurate predictors of automatic behaviors toward depressed persons. The present study examined implicit and explicit attitudes and stereotypes regarding the stability controllability, and etiology of depression in an undergraduate sample, using physical illness as a comparison condition. Depression was hypothesized to be rated as more negative, temporary, controllable, and psychologically-caused than physical illness on both implicit and explicit measures. Differences were expected to be especially pronounced when measured implicitly. Participants ...