Social Stigma: A Systematic Review of Cognitive Insights from Behavioral Economics (1940–2019)

Abstract

There are minority and stigmatized groups who face particular challenges to their full participation in society. This study’s objective was to conduct a systematic review to determine theoretical and methodological underpinnings in behavioral economics that explain how stigmatization emerges within the relationship processes and social structures of individuals. Data from 1940 to 2019 were sourced from 12 relevant electronic databases such as Scopus and Web of Science. Following PRISMA guidelines for systematic reviews, 26 studies out of 3459 met the inclusion criteria. Most of the studies applied experimental economics and were published between 2002 and 2018. Overall, the articles focus their research on the experiences of discrimination based on stereotypes and test their hypotheses through economic games. The data synthesis seems to reveal weak conceptual clarity, circular reasoning, and a hint of the problem of infinite regress. Thus, these issues open new and exciting avenues for future research to explore via an array of experimental applications.