Chapter 12 Research related to Sanctions From

Chapter 12 Research related to Sanctions

From the headlines p p p Survey of 100 senior executives Dress influences promotion (a positive sanction) Appearance influences impressions of n n p Credibility Suitability for role with greater responsibility Decisions about what to wear to work n n Would managers at my company wear this? Does it give me confidence? Is it clean and in good condition? Is it comfortable?

Appearance influences impressions of credibility

Questions to answer p p How do researchers study sanctions against dress norm violations? How does research reveal the interrelatedness of the aspects and variations of sanctions? What methods are used to conduct research related to sanctions against dress norm violations? What tools are used to collect data for research related to sanctions?

Use of sanctions within the family p Socialization agents n n n Parents/guardians Earliest Most influential In transmitting society’s values and norms p Positive sanctions—praise, compliments p Negative sanctions—shame, guilt p

Positive sanctions--compliments

Shame—negative self-evaluation

Teasing p Teasing n n n p Sarcasm Ridicule Belittling Insults Mockery Making fun of Malicious remarks During childhood, obese girls receive more comments and more teasing

Socialization Agents Transmit Cultural principle of acceptable and ideal appearance (e. g. , weight/height ratio or Body Mass Index) p Appearance-related teasing can have longterm effects on body image, depression, and eating disturbances p

Society’s Values and Norms

Body Mass Index (BMI) Formula: Weight/(height X height) x 703 p Divide your weight by the square of your height p Multiply by a conversion factor of 703 p Below 18. 5 Underweight p 18. 5 – 24. 9 Normal p 25. 0 -29. 9 Overweight p 30. 0 and above Obese p

What is Cathy’s BMI?

Prevalence and effects of teasing by family members Teasing about appearance—risk factor for body image and eating disturbances p Middle-school girls p n n n 23% teased 12% teased overweight 19% teased 13% teased 29% teased by a parent about appearance by a parent about being by fathers by mothers by siblings

Teasing by mothers related to depression p Teasing by fathers related to p n n n n Body dissatisfaction Social comparison Thin-ideal internalization Restriction Bulimic behaviors Self-esteem Depression

Dear Ann Landers p A recent letter from “Heavy-Duty Problem in Atlanta” described the conflict between a husband wife over their daughter’s weight. The mother was concerned because the girl is overweight and a borderline diabetic. The father felt she was being picked on by her mother. You replied that the father should support the mother’s efforts to help “Sue. ”

p Where in the world did you get the idea that the mother is helping the girl? However well-intentioned and sincere she believes her concerns are for her daughter’s health, it is obvious from her reference to “excess blubber” that the daughter is receiving a lot of negative, judgmental, and accusatory vibes.

Frequency of teasing related to Body dissatisfaction Social comparison Thin-ideal internalization Restriction Bulimic behaviors Self-esteem Perfectionism Appearance-related teasing is NOT a harmless behavior

Positive and negative body-related comments and body satisfaction Body satisfaction—an individual’s satisfaction with specific physical features, weight and/or shape p 898 54 -year-old females p 50% reported positive comments from spouse p 25% reported negative comments from spouse p

Positive or negative comment?

Comments while growing up Positive comments— 25% of women p Source: mothers p Negative comments— 33% of women p Source: peers at school p Negative comments recalled from childhood had a negative effect on midlife body satisfaction p

Family Support

Power of other people Damaging experiences in childhood p Embarrassment, ridicule, comments p Praise, support p Others—parents, coaches, teachers, spouses, physicians p Most teasing related to body size and shape p Women recalled more experiences than men p

Comments related to weight

Use of sanctions within the school Sanctions used by students against their peers p Sanctions used by students against teachers and administrators p Sanctions used by teachers and administrators against students p

Name-calling and Nicknames 9 -10 year old children p p p p Negative experience Most common content of nicknames—physical appearance Weight Height Nose Teeth Hair Skin (freckles, warts)

Sanctions used by students against their peers

Frequency and effects p p More than 20% experienced nasty comments and unkind nicknames daily Effects—unhappy, upset

Teasing, name-calling, nicknames Targets of such sanctions are “different” p Appearance, personality, ethnicity, etc. p Deviate from some social norm p Lack of tolerance in U. S. society for individuals who look different p Usually involves repeated exposure over time to negative actions on the part of one or more people p

Deviation from a social norm

5 th grade boys and girls Teasing and bullying in school p Teasing was verbal aggression p n n Name-calling Laughing at another’s appearance, race, academic, or athletic abilities Cursing Spreading rumors

Teasing is verbal aggression

Children recalled Names—geek, shrimp, wimp, etc. p Teasing remarks—too big, too fat, too tall p Targets did not look like everyone else p n n p Wore glasses Wore bad clothes Teasing was an extreme and extensively pervasive sanction

Ugly duckling

Bullying When children say nasty things to a child p When a child is hit, kicked, threatened, locked inside a room, or sent nasty notes p When no one ever talks to a child p When a child is teased repeatedly in a nasty way p Most bullying took the form of namecalling--50% of younger students; 67% of secondary students p

Name-calling and Nicknames p p p Name-calling is calling someone abusive, disgraceful or shameful names Unkind nicknames are names given to a person in contempt or derision Verbal sanctions

Name-calling

Adult recollections of name-calling and nicknames during school More than half were called hurtful names p Name-calling peaked between 8 -12 years of age p Most common content of names referred to physical appearance p Other categories of names (e. g. , famous person, animals, objects) also related to appearance p

Famous people

Results of name-calling p p Negative feelings such as anger, embarrassment, shame, unhappiness Effects of name-calling lasted into adulthood

Memories of childhood teasing and anxiety and depression as adults p Teasing Questionnaire (TQ) n n n Being ugly or unattractive Weight Height Aspects of appearance (e. g. , dress, glasses, hair color) Ethnic or cultural differences (wearing special items of clothing such as a head covering)

Results Males and females scored equally on TQ p Appearance-related items endorsed most strongly p Females—recalled being teasing about p n n n Weight Height Appearance

Results p Males recalled being teased about n n p Aspects of appearance Hair color Weight Excelling at school There was a relationship between teasing during childhood and both depression and anxiety as adults

Teasing of overweight and nonoverweight children Teasing about physical attributes p Being called disparaging nicknames p Frequency p Duration p Perpetrators p Emotional impact of teasing p

Overweight children Appearance-related teasing most prevalent, frequent and upsetting p Involved disparaging nicknames p More often by peers p Contemptuous nicknames related to fat, body parts, overweight characters, and large animals or objects p

Teasing was related to Weight concerns p Loneliness p Negative self-perception p Preference for sedentary/isolative activities p Lower preference for active-social activities p

Case studies of school shootings p p Possible role of teasing and rejection 3 forms of rejection among adolescents n n n p Occur in the presence of other people n p p Teasing Ostracism Romantic rejection An element of public humiliation Perpetrators had been teased or bullied Many had been ostracized

Ridicule One means of communicating consumptions norms and values among adolescents p Interviews p Recalled mean-spirited barbs (hurtful remarks) p Used to put down and exclude those p Who did not fit into the group p

Recalled being taunted About over-protective parents p About being immature p Name-calling p Responded to ridicule by conforming to group norms p Sought greater control over clothing purchases p Peer opinions replaced parental input p

Jeer pressure p p Refers to the pressure felt by witnesses of ridicule to behave in conventional ways Ridicule and teasing n n p p Establish or maintain power over someone By intentionally embarrassing them Embarrassment—to become painfully selfconscious, ashamed, humiliated, or ill-at-ease Universal need to be liked by others and to fear rejection

Sanctions used by students against teachers and administrators Name-calling and nicknames reflect power issues—weaker called names by stronger p Students (weaker power position) use derogatory nicknames for teachers they view negatively p Nicknames expressed dislike, contempt, or were attempts to get even p

Characteristics of nicknames p Teachers with most hurtful nicknames n n p p p Less admired Less popular Less respected More disliked Most frequent category—some distinctive feature of physical appearance Baldness, mole, double chin, overweight Students used nicknames in a secretive fashion

Comments about teacher in secretive fashion

Sanctions used by teachers and administrators against students Published in student handbooks p Dress code violations—violations of norms for student appearance p

Dress code violations lead to sanctions

Content analysis of 155 handbooks 26 sanctions found p Examples: verbal reprimand, loss of privileges, detention, suspension, expulsion, disciplinary probation, alternative school p Not found—corporal punishment, student apology p

Characteristics of sanctions in handbooks External p Formal (except verbal reprimand) p Punishment p Obtrusive (21 of 26) p Moderate magnitude (22 of 26) p Mild (16 of 26) p Equally pervasive (13), non-pervasive (13) p

Use of Sanctions in the Workplace Creating a company image is important p Dress and appearance one method p Appearance-based hiring policies can be discriminatory p

Sanctions associated with appearance regulation at work Termination p Promotion p Being passed over for promotion or partnership p Social ridicule p

Sanctions associated with visible religious symbols in the workplace p Visual religious symbols may arouse anxiety or fear in others who do not belong to the religion symbolized

Religious symbols

Common justifications for not allowing particular dress items Aesthetic p Public health p Public safety p Solidarity p

Employment discrimination of Muslim women who wear hijab 90% said a prospective employer said something to them about wearing hijab p 40% were told they must remove their hijab if they wanted a job p Applicants without hijab were treated in a courteous manner p Applicants with hijab were treated in a dismissive and rude manner p

Women who wore hijab experienced negative sanctions Denied jobs p Told they must remove the hijab p Harassed in the workplace p Fired p

Women who wore hijab experienced negative sanctions

Sanctions associated with weight as an appearance norm violation p Sanctions n n n Taunting Name-calling Stereotypes Unattractive p Lazy p Incompetent p Second-class citizens p p Called lazy, stupid, incapable

Dear Ann Landers “Extra Weight Isn’t Sign of a Sluggard” p I have a response for “Frank in Frederick, S. D. ” who called women who are carrying extra weight “addicted, lazy, indifferent, self-indulgent, sick, or just plain stupid. ” n I am several pounds overweight and tired of being lumped into the same category with lazy, uncaring slobs. I work 40 hours a week, keep an immaculate house, take care of two children, and a husband, and find time for visits to a gym to work out. I am the only woman on my block who cuts the grass, washes the car, paints the house, and knows how to dismantle an above-ground swimming pool.

n n When I am doing dirty work around the house, I admit that I look like a mess, but not many people wear an evening gown to wash the car. At work, I wear nice outfits, makeup, jewelry and heels. I can adapt to any situation from digging a hole in the back yard to attending a formal party. Not all overweight people are sitting in front of the television feeling sorry for themselves and stuffing their face with food. We are vital members of the community who just happen to have some extra weight. § “Fed” up in Louisiana

Impressions lead to sanctions Sloppy, dirty, ugly, disgusting, unkempt p Sanctions of extensive pervasiveness p Informal sanctions p n n n Repulsion Disgust Dirty looks Make fun of Look right through Nicknames and name-calling

Dear Ann Landers p p I read those letters trumpeting theme “Thin is in, ” and I totally agree with you. I’m a smidge over 5 feet tall and an extra two pounds really shows up on me. I’ve gained 25 pounds in 23 years of marriage. I’m not fat but I could stand to lose 20 pounds. What really bugs me is my husband. He says I’m fat and he equates fat with “lazy” and “slob” and says I’d better get my act together. n Chubby in Cal

Dear Chubby in Cal p I’ve said it many times, but I’ll say it once more. Overweight people know how they look. Unkind comments are demoralizing, not helpful. They hurt and destroy selfesteem. I’m always slightly suspicious of people who feel they need to tell you something “for your own good. ”