The social stigma of unemployment: consequences of stigma consciousness on job search attitudes, behaviour and success

Research output: Contribution to journalArticleResearchpeer review

Authors

  • Gerhard Krug
  • Katrin Drasch
  • Monika Jungbauer-Gans

External Research Organisations

  • Institute for Employment Research (IAB) of the Federal Employment Agency
  • Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU Erlangen-Nürnberg)
  • German Centre for Higher Education Research and Science Studies (DZHW)
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Details

Original languageEnglish
Article number11
JournalJournal for Labour Market Research
Volume53
Issue number1
Early online date12 Jul 2019
Publication statusE-pub ahead of print - 12 Jul 2019
Externally publishedYes

Abstract

Studies show that the unemployed face serious disadvantages in the labour market and that the social stigma of unemployment is one explanation. In this paper, we focus on the unemployed’s expectations of being stigmatized (stigma consciousness) and the consequences of such negative expectations on job search attitudes and behaviour. Using data from the panel study “Labour Market and Social Security” (PASS), we find that the unemployed with high stigma consciousness suffer from reduced well-being and health. Regarding job search, the stigmatized unemployed are more likely to expect that their chances of re-employment are low, but in contrast, they are more likely to place a high value on becoming re-employed. Instead of becoming discouraged and passive, we find that stigmatized unemployed individuals increase their job search effort compared to other unemployed individuals. However, despite their higher job search effort, the stigma-conscious unemployed do not have better re-employment chances.

Keywords

    Expectancy-value theory, Job search, Social stigma, Stigma consciousness, Unemployment

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Sustainable Development Goals

Cite this

The social stigma of unemployment: consequences of stigma consciousness on job search attitudes, behaviour and success. / Krug, Gerhard; Drasch, Katrin; Jungbauer-Gans, Monika.
In: Journal for Labour Market Research, Vol. 53, No. 1, 11, 12.07.2019.

Research output: Contribution to journalArticleResearchpeer review

Krug, G., Drasch, K., & Jungbauer-Gans, M. (2019). The social stigma of unemployment: consequences of stigma consciousness on job search attitudes, behaviour and success. Journal for Labour Market Research, 53(1), Article 11. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12651-019-0261-4
Krug G, Drasch K, Jungbauer-Gans M. The social stigma of unemployment: consequences of stigma consciousness on job search attitudes, behaviour and success. Journal for Labour Market Research. 2019 Jul 12;53(1):11. Epub 2019 Jul 12. doi: 10.1186/s12651-019-0261-4
Krug, Gerhard ; Drasch, Katrin ; Jungbauer-Gans, Monika. / The social stigma of unemployment: consequences of stigma consciousness on job search attitudes, behaviour and success. In: Journal for Labour Market Research. 2019 ; Vol. 53, No. 1.
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