Stigma and Compliance: A Re-Examination

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Abstract
The study examined whether a female with a nonstigmatizing handicap would produce as much compliance to a request as a female with a stigmatizing handicap. In a field experiment, 60 male and 60 female Caucasian pedestrians were asked for money by a female confederate who appeared to have either a stigmatizing handicap, a nonstigmatizing handicap, or no handicap. A 3 × 2 analysis of variance examined the effects of Sex of Subject and Type of Handicap. A manipulation check was performed with a second group of pedestrians to determine the degree to which the two handicap conditions were perceived as permanent. There was no significant difference in the number of persons complying in the stigmatizing and nonstigmatizing handicap conditions. In addition, significantly more persons in the stigmatizing handicap condition (p < .01) and nonstigmatizing handicap conditions (p < .01) complied with the request than did persons in the no handicap condition. The manipulation check supported the conclusion that the stigmatizing handicap was perceived as relatively more permanent than the nonstigmatizing handicap. It was concluded that a handicap need not be stigmatizing in order to increase compliance.

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