Psychology
Stigma and the Management of Spoiled Identities
Quick fact
Goffman's framework distinguishes between 'discredited' identities (visible stigma) and 'discreditable' identities (hidden stigma), arguing that the latter requires constant 'information management' to prevent reveal—a process he famously likened to a baseball player's 'covering' moves on the field.
Why this is interesting
Have you ever felt the urge to hide something about yourself from others? Erving Goffman's classic theory reveals how such 'spoiled identities' shape our social lives, and the intricate strategies we use to keep them hidden.
Read the full explanation
Understanding Stigma and the Management of Spoiled Identities
Stigma, in Goffman's sense, is not a property of a person but a social attribute that devalues them. When we encounter someone with a visible stigma—a physical disability, a facial disfigurement—the stigma becomes a 'master status' that overshadows all other attributes. This creates a 'spoiled identity': a self that is defined by the flaw rather than by the whole person. For those with a discreditable stigma—like a secret addiction, a criminal record, or a non-normative sexual orientation—the challenge is to control information about it. They may choose to 'pass' (hide the stigma completely), 'cover' (minimize its visibility), or 'disclose' strategically. These are all forms of 'impression management,' a term Goffman borrowed from his earlier theatre metaphor of social life.
A deeper explanation
The mechanism behind stigma lies in the gap between the social norms of what a person 'should be' and their perceived actual attributes. Goffman argued that society institutes the means of categorizing persons, and when we encounter a stranger, we apply these categories, expecting them to exhibit the attributes associated with their class. A stigma is an attribute that is deeply discrediting and that reduces the bearer from a 'whole and usual person' to a 'tainted, discounted one.' The 'spoiled identity' is not just a label; it is an internalized sense of self that is managed through a set of techniques. These techniques include: (1) controlling the information about the stigma (passing), (2) adjusting the visibility of the stigma (covering), (3) aligning with one's in-group (joining others with the same stigma), and (4) using apologies or exaggerations to manage attributions. This constant self-monitoring imposes a unique burden on the stigmatized individual, affecting their social interactions, self-esteem, and mental health. Goffman's work also highlights 'courtesy stigma'—the stigma that attaches to those who associate with stigmatized individuals, such as a parent of a child with a visible disability.