Racial, ethnic, and cultural differences in responding to distinctiveness and discrimination on campus: Stigma and common group identity

The present article examines how the salience of group membership can moder ate or diffuse feelings of stigmatization for members of racial and ethnic minorities. A series of studies is presented that demonstrate that the deve lopment of a common group identity can diffuse the effects of stigmatizatio n, improve intergroup attitudes, and enhance institutional satisfaction and commitment among college students and faculty, Strategies and intervention s designed to address the effects of stigmatization, however, need to consi der the different value and importance of racial and ethnic group identitie s for Whites and for people of color.