Stigmatization of persons with covid-19 in the conditions of the spread of the coronavirus pandemic: socio-psychological aspect

Abstract

The relevance of the study is determined by the need to deepen socio-psychological understanding of stigma in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic and search for effective socio-psychological technologies to prevent stigma, overcome prejudice, increase tolerance and psychological support for vulnerable people, groups and minorities in different societies.

The aim of the article is to analyze the problem of stigmatization of people with COVID-19 against the background of the spread of the coronavirus pandemic, and to identify the main areas of socio-psychological work to prevent stigma. It has been shown that the stigma associated with the spread of COVID-19 is caused by a lack of information about the disease, resulting in fears and anxieties about the unknown and the uncontrolled, leading to various conspiratorial explanations for the disease and its spread. Such explanations distort the real state of affairs, and their spread negatively affects the mood and behavior of people, causes prejudice and stigma, negatively affects social cohesion, as one of the conditions for effective control of the disease.

The results of the study of people's awareness of existing prejudices against people with COVID-19, agreement with these prejudices and their application to themselves as a basis for stigmatization and self-stigmatization are presented. Fear and anxiety associated with coronavirus disease have been shown to lead to prejudice, which in turn serves to rationalize, justify negative feelings, and treat stigmatized individuals. Although these prejudices are based on strong negative emotions, they are at the same time rather veiled, hidden, because their open expression is still socially unacceptable.

Prospects for the practical application of research results are related to the development of socio-psychological means of drawing community attention to the problem of stigmatization, through science-based socio-psychological information, identifying and weakening prejudices against certain stigmatized groups, strengthening individual and collective reflexivity and tolerance.