Weight-based discrimination leads to more than just a loss of opportunities, it leads to a loss of identity.
Image courtesy of Flickr WHP Programs have created a culture of health that has narrowed individuals' perception of what it means to be successful, dedicated, hard working, and all of the like.
Image Source: The Guardian Researchers at the University of California, and NYU found that companies that employ stick policies over carrot policies (i.e., utilizing punishment instead of reward to induce good behavior) increase feelings of stigmatization in overweight employees. Companies that employ such policies then, could be doing serious damage to the psychological health of their employees
(Tannenbaum, et al.). Image Source: PFA |
Workplace Health Promotion programs create insidious social change, and reinforce destabilizing social-ills such as discrimination and segregation.
WHP programs have pushed for radical social change such as a change in one's diet, lifestyle, and an overall change in one's attitude. They have created social change in the workplace, but not all social change is positive. As sociologists and industrial psychologists have discovered through empirical study, the social change that these well-intended programs have been creating is instilling genuinely harmful and antiquated social practices on America's workforce such as discrimination, stereotyping, alienation and bias. These new ideologies give employees an erroneous spectrum for evaluating the dedication, capability, intelligence, and even worth of their coworkers (Lindeman, et al.; Powroznik). The workplace stereotypes overweight individuals as being more lazy, less competent, less intelligent, and less motivated than others and face daily discrimination and harassment due to their weight (Powroznik). America's workforce has developed harsh biases towards overweight individuals, and WHP programs are largely to blame. According to Karen Powroznik of Stanford University, WHP programs are reinforcing a psychological theory called prejudice justification. When it comes to social biases and negative stereotypes, there are two sets of cultural norms and ideological beliefs: prejudice suppressors and prejudice justifiers. Prejudice suppressors are a set of cultural norms beliefs, and values that when activated, suppress the expression of certain prejudices (Powroznik). Likewise, prejudice justifiers are a set of cultural norms, beliefs, and values that justify and rationalize actions of discrimination and prejudice. A prejudice justifier would be fact or personal belief that an individual could use to rationalize the act of stereotyping another person, and subconsciously convince themselves that their actions are justified (Powroznik). Research shows that people are more likely to discriminate and act negatively towards someone when they believe the target could have prevented their unpleasant situation or the source of their stereotype. The ideologies that WHP programs emphasize act as prejudice justifiers as they rationalize negative attitudes towards people who are overweight (Powroznik). By teaching individuals that obesity is a controllable condition they are justifying weight-based stereotypes, discrimination, as well as bias, and are reinforcing harmful social ills (Lindeman, et al.). Instead, WHP programs should incorporate prejudice suppressors by educating individuals on the uncontrollable causes of obesity. Such an action could substantially decrease the presence of social-ills, and would not only extend the influence of programs to those who struggle with obesity, but it could also create a stronger sense of solidarity among employees, which would have far-reaching benefits (Lindeman, et al.). If WHP programs persist, corporate America could be digging themselves into a deeper hole than they are currently in. To mitigate this health crisis we find ourselves in, programs need to start taking their psychological footprint more seriously. |
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Go to the previous page to review the psychological damage that WHP programs cause
Duncan, Dustin T., et al. "Does Perception Equal Reality? Weight Misperception in Relation to Weight-Related Attitudes and Behaviors among Overweight and Obese US Adults." International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition & Physical Activity, vol. 8, Jan. 2011, pp. 20-28. EBSCOhost, doi:10.1186/1479-5868-8-20. Accessed 16, May 2019.
Lindeman, Meghan I. H., et al. "The Effects of Messages about the Causes of Obesity on Disciplinary Action Decisions for Overweight Employees." Journal of Psychology, vol. 151, no. 5, June 2017, pp. 345-358. EBSCOhost, doi:10.1080/00223980.2017.1291487. Accessed 16, May 2019.
Tannenbaum, David, et al. "Incentivizing Wellness in the Workplace: Sticks (Not Carrots) Send Stigmatizing Signals". 2013. Accessed 16 May 2019.
Lindeman, Meghan I. H., et al. "The Effects of Messages about the Causes of Obesity on Disciplinary Action Decisions for Overweight Employees." Journal of Psychology, vol. 151, no. 5, June 2017, pp. 345-358. EBSCOhost, doi:10.1080/00223980.2017.1291487. Accessed 16, May 2019.
Tannenbaum, David, et al. "Incentivizing Wellness in the Workplace: Sticks (Not Carrots) Send Stigmatizing Signals". 2013. Accessed 16 May 2019.
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