Too different to be equal: Lack of public respect is associated with reduced self-respect for stigmatized individuals.

Individuals with physical and mental disabilities can be stigmatized and perceived in terms of their disabilities in the public domain. This is less pervasive in the private domain, because of the presence of individuating information. We argue that disabilities decrease individuals' everyday opportunities to receive basic equality-based respect experiences in the public domain and thus makes it difficult for them to develop a high and secure level of self-respect (i.e., seeing the self as someone who possesses the same rights as others). These hypotheses were tested in a cross-sectional study in Norway with 173 participants (51 males, 117 females, two trans men, and three non-binary persons; Mage = 28.00; SD = 10.33, age range: 19-77 years), of which 60 participants reported having mental or physical disabilities. In line with our hypotheses, we found higher levels of self-respect for individuals without mental or physical disabilities compared to individuals with mental or physical disabilities. In addition, results showed that respect experiences differed depending on the domain. Whereas individuals with and without disabilities did not significantly differ in the respect experiences they reported in the private domain, they did significantly differ in the respect experiences they reported in the public domain. In addition, respect experiences in the public domain mediated the relationship between disability and self-respect. Implications of the results are discussed in terms of the importance of developing high and secure levels of self-respect and in terms of how respect experiences in the public domain can be ensured for everyone.

Why the belief in one's equal rights matters: Self-respect, depressive symptoms, and suicidal ideation in Western and non-Western countries.

The present research investigated the relationship between self-respect (i.e., a person's belief of possessing the same rights as others) and depressive symptoms. Based on earlier longitudinal findings that self-respect fosters assertiveness and that assertiveness negatively predicts depressive symptoms, we tested these relationships in Western and non-Western countries. Additionally, we explored associations with suicidal ideation. Across seven countries (N = 2408) we found that self-respect and depressive symptoms were negatively correlated. In addition, we found evidence for an indirect path via assertiveness as well as negative correlations with suicidal ideation in countries with available measures. Finally, within-manuscript meta-analyses confirmed the main path between self-respect and depressive symptoms across all seven countries. This research presents the first evidence for the negative association between self-respect (feeling equal to others) and depressive symptoms and highlights new directions for linking self and self-regard to mental health.

Professional Recognition at Work: The Protective Role of Esteem, Respect, and Care for Burnout Among Employees.

OBJECTIVE: The present research systematically investigates the role of recognition experiences at work as a protective factor for burnout. METHOD: In two cross-sectional studies (N = 328 and N = 220) with employees we measured via online questionnaires three forms of recognition (achievement-based social esteem, equality-based respect, and need-based care) from coworkers and supervisors as predictors and burnout among employees as outcome. RESULTS: Using multiple regression analyses, Study 1 provided initial evidence that both supervisor and coworker recognition were negatively associated with employees' burnout. Study 2 further demonstrated that whereas respect experiences were especially crucial for lowering emotional exhaustion, care was primarily linked to reduced depersonalization and esteem to heightened personal accomplishment. CONCLUSION: We discuss how positive recognition experiences can be fostered in organizations in order to buffer the negative effects burnout can cause.

A Social Recognition Approach to Autonomy: The Role of Equality-Based Respect.

Inspired by philosophical reasoning about the connection between equality and freedom, we examined whether experiences of (equality-based) respect increase perceived autonomy. This link was tested with generalized experiences of respect and autonomy people make in their daily lives (Study 1) and with more specific experiences of employees at the workplace (Study 2). In both studies, respect strongly and independently contributed to perceived autonomy over and above other forms of social recognition (need-based care and achievement-based social esteem) and further affected (life/work) satisfaction. Study 3 experimentally confirmed the hypothesized causal influence of respect on perceived autonomy and demonstrated that this effect further translates into social cooperation. The respect-cooperation link was simultaneously mediated by perceived autonomy and superordinate collective identification. We discuss how the recognition approach, which differentiates between respect, care, and social esteem, can enrich research on autonomy.

When less equal is less human: Intragroup (dis)respect and the experience of being human.

Past research has demonstrated that equality-based respect is an important antecedent of positive social interaction and group-serving behavior. In the present research we tested whether intragroup equality-based respect affects perceptions of being treated as a human as well as self-dehumanization. In Experiment 1, we found that high respect received from fellow work group members heightens group members' sense of being treated as a human being, while low respect diminishes it. In Experiment 2, we secured evidence that (dis)respect also affected recipients' self-views in terms of self-dehumanization. More specifically, if respect was withheld by other ingroup members, fewer human nature and human uniqueness traits, as well as secondary positive emotions, were attributed to the self. This increase in self-infrahumanization was further related to higher endorsement of unethical behavior. We discuss the importance of equality-based respect for (de-)humanization processes in social groups.

Reaching across group boundaries: Respect from outgroup members facilitates recategorization as a common group.

Two laboratory experiments tested the hypothesis that (equality-based) respect from outgroup members facilitates recategorization of the original ingroup and outgroup as a common group. In Experiment 1, we varied respect from outgroup members (low vs. medium vs. high) and measured recipients' willingness to recategorize. As predicted, high respect from an outgroup source increased willingness to recategorize as a common group relative to low respect. In Experiment 2, we orthogonally varied respect (low vs. medium vs. high) and its source (ingroup members vs. outgroup members) and employed a more differentiated recategorization measure including an intermediate or nested-group option (i.e., two subgroups of a common group). While the recategorization effect of high versus low respect from outgroup members was replicated, no such effect was observed for respect from ingroup members. Instead, there was some indication that, when it comes from ingroup members, a medium level of respect may be optimal for inducing a shift towards recategorization as a common group. Implications of the present research for the conceptualization of respect are discussed.