Emotional Reactivity and a Schizophrenia Label Independently Diminish a Hospital Patient's Credibility and Increase Observers' Desire for Social Distance

The effects of a person’s stigmatizing condition (schizophrenia) and their emotional reactivity (anger) were investigated in a healthcare context. Schizophrenia decreased perceptions of a target’s pain and increased desire for social distance regardless of emotional behavior. When the condition was absent, only the emotionally reactive target elicited these effects.