In the empirical article, "Stigma as Ego Depletion: How Being the Target of Prejudice Affects Self-Control," writers Michael Inzlicht, Linda McKay, and Joshua Aronson researched the correlation between stigma and self-regulation. They hypothesize that stigmatized groups have less self-control capabilities than non-stigmatized groups in situations where the stigma is present. In this study, stigmatized groups are defined as groups perceived to have devalued characteristics in social contexts and self-control capabilities is broadly defined as the cognitive effort that monitors behavior, such as control over eating and drinking, showing emotions, etc.
Researchers examined the effect of stigma on stigmatized members vs. non-stigmatized members in a stigma-manipulated situation to see if stigmatized members who enter a threatening situation or become conscious of the stigma are less able to self-regulate in both the stigma-related situation and non-stigma-related domains. If stigmatized members believe they are in a situation where the stigma is present, he or she may be subject to stereotype threat. Stereotype threat refers to a state of threat (e.g., tension, anxiety, fear) that arises when stigmatized members believe they will confirm negative group stereotypes or be treated and judged in