A FUNCTIONAL ANALYSIS FOR AIDS-RELATED STIGMA AMONG SINGAPOREANS : SYMBOLIC PREJUDICE OR FEAR OF CONTAGION?

Abstract

This study is concerned with whether attitudes toward a stigmatised group, persons with AIDS in Singapore, are primarily instrumental or symbolic. Multiple aspects of AIDS stigma were assessed with a pencil-and-paper test, using a sample of students in National University of Singapore and Nanyang Technology University (N=300). Using responses to the Attitude function Inventory (AFI), respondents were categorised according to the dominant psychological function served by their attitudes: (1) evaluative (based on instrumental concerns about personal risk for infection), or (2) expressive (based on a need to affirm one's self-concept by expressing personal values). Negative affect toward a person who contracted AIDS through homosexual behaviour or promiscuous behaviour, support for mandatory testing of "high risk" groups, support for punitive AIDS policies, and behavioural intentions to avoid persons with AIDS in various hypothetical situations were predicted mainly by attitudes toward gay men or promiscuous persons for individuals with expressive attitudes but not for those with evaluative attitudes, a pattern known as functional divergence. However, all attitudinal variables seem to be largely predicted by beliefs about contagion for respondents with expressive and evaluative altitudes alike. This suggests a pattern known as functional consensus. Implications for future research based on the functional approach and possible suggestions for educational programs to remove AIDS stigma are discussed.