Psychology alumna uncovers the mental and physical health consequences of stigma

How do people who face adversity perceive it or understand it? How does it affect them physically, mentally? How do people cope with being a member of a group that’s looked down upon in society? Driven by a curiosity to understand questions like these and an inclination for research first nourished at The College of Wooster, Brenda Major ’72 became an internationally known social psychologist for her expertise on the psychology of stigma—not why it exists, but the psychological and physical impact of being the target of prejudice and discrimination. 

“Studies show that perceived discriminations—the perception that you are being treated unfairly—have a host of negative implications for both mental and physical health,” Major said. 

Studying political science and ultimately majoring in psychology at Wooster, Major remembers writing a psychological analysis of what led up to the Vietnam War, combining those two interests. Her interest in intergroup relationships stuck. Through Independent Study, “I discovered a love for research,” she said. Learning to design a study, collect and analyze data, and write and draw conclusions about it, “set me up,” she said, “for what I did the rest of my life.” Elected to the National Academy of Sciences in summer 2024 and a distinguished professor emerita of psychological and brain sciences at University of California, Santa Barbara, Major’s research examined how people who face a variety of forms of adversity and social stigma respond emotionally and physically and their resilience despite their circumstances. 

Looking at paradoxes like women content with their job’s pay even while making less money than comparably qualified men, or members of different stigmatized groups who face social devaluation and yet have self-esteem as high or higher than members of many privileged groups led Major to question why. “How do people understand adversity and cope with being a member of a group that’s looked down on in society?” She thought. Considering the reactions to discrimination and when or why people saw themselves as victims led her to recognize how resilience forms. Her research gives psychologists a better understanding of how social stigma is a factor in physical and psychological health, allowing them to design interventions and help people cope with emotional and physical implications of stigmas. 

“There are often unintended consequences of really good intentions,” Major said, noting applications to diversity initiatives or weight-loss campaigns. She explained that for members of stigmatized groups, knowing they are looked down on by others can make it hard to tell whether negative feedback is deserved or due to discrimination. Anti-discrimination campaigns may also introduce ambiguity to positive feedback, making it hard for members of stigmatized groups to tell whether praise is genuine or reflects the other person’s desire to avoid looking prejudiced. 

Major characterizes stigmas surrounding mental health as particularly destructive when it comes to feelings of depression, anxiety, and mental illness. “In this culture, we expect people to buck up. The belief that people ought to be able to manage their emotions and have control over how they feel is a big factor,” she said. “I’ve seen so many students that are ashamed if they’re depressed or feeling anxiety. They don’t want other people to know they struggle with mental health issues, so they don’t seek treatment.” As a negative effect of stigma, the avoidance of treatment becomes dangerous. 

“The brain is an organ. It can get out of whack, just like the other organs. If you had an ulcer, would you take medicine?” Major challenges her students, illustrating how thinking of the brain and psychological behavior in the same way as physical illness acknowledges the misperceptions behind the stigma. She added, “Getting people to think about mental illness on the level of physical illness would be a huge step. The brain is another organ in the body that needs to be addressed.” 

Major said she sees learning about people’s experiences with stigma and her “willingness to entertain different perspectives in an increasingly complex world,” as part of the well-rounded education she earned at Wooster. “A liberal arts education just gives you a broader way of seeing the world, more insight, and the ability to understand. And I wouldn’t have traded it for anything.” 

This feature originally appeared in the Spring 2025 issue of Wooster magazine.

Photo provided by Major.

Posted in Alumni, Magazine on March 13, 2025.