Stigma perception: social comparison among mentally retarded persons.

Two studies were conducted in order to determine whether a group concept problem (i.e., relatively unfavorable opinions of other retarded persons; Gibbons, 1981): (a) includes retarded persons' perceptions of their peers' social desirability, such as dating appeal and physical attractiveness; (b) occurs among persons living in community settings; and (c) differs by sex. Results provided affirmative answers for all questions and indicated that the problem is most severe among community women. In addition, there was evidence of self-derogation among both community-based and institutionalized retarded persons in terms of social success (e.g., dating behavior). I suggested that this type of person perception may be interfering with retarded persons' social behavior and their adjustment to community-based and institutional environments.