Physiology
Biased Physiology – Ultra-Detailed Lecture Notes (PSYC0253)
Lecture Theme
This lecture shifts from the perceiver perspective (the person holding bias) to the target perspective (the person experiencing bias).
Core Question:
What happens biologically, psychologically, and socially to people who are targets of discrimination?
DISCLAIMER / FRAMING
The lecture explicitly rejects a victim-only narrative.
Key framing:
Focus is on resilience and adaptation
Biological consequences are discussed not to pathologize minority groups
Goal is understanding stress responses, coping, and buffers
SECTION 1: THE BIOPSYCHOSOCIAL MODEL (Blascovich & Tomaka, 1996)
Definition:
A model explaining how goal-relevant social situations (especially discriminatory or stressful ones) produce:
1. Cognitive Appraisal
How a person interprets a situation:
Threatening?
Challenging?
Manageable?
Dangerous?
2. Physiological Response
The appraisal activates bodily systems:
Sympathetic nervous system (SAM axis)
HPA axis (Hypothalamic-Pituitary-Adrenal axis)
3. Interoception
People notice their own physiological changes:
Heart racing
Sweating
Tension
4. Feedback Loop
Awareness of bodily stress can intensify stress:
“I feel anxious → therefore this must be bad → more anxiety.”
GOAL-RELEVANT SITUATION EXAMPLE:
Job Interview
Goal: Get hired
Appraisal: “Will I be stereotyped?”
Physiological shift: Heart response changes
Awareness: “My heart is racing”
Feedback: Increased vigilance or stress
CARDIOVASCULAR INDICES IN THE MODEL
1. Ventricular Contractility (VC)
Definition:
Force of ventricular contraction before blood ejection.
Measured through:
Pre-Ejection Period (PEP)
Interpretation:
Greater constriction = heart working harder
Can signal stress mobilization
2. Cardiac Output (CO)
Definition:
Amount of blood pumped by the heart.
Interpretation:
High CO = active engagement
Low CO = reduced adaptive mobilization
3. Total Peripheral Resistance (TPR)
Definition:
Resistance in blood vessels/circulatory system.
Interpretation:
High TPR = constricted vessels, strain
Low TPR = open vessels, adaptive response
THREAT RESPONSE VS CHALLENGE RESPONSE
THREAT RESPONSE (Maladaptive)
Characteristics:
SAM + HPA activation
Increased VC
Lower/no rise in CO
Increased TPR
Meaning:
Body prepares defensively, but inefficiently.
Psychological equivalent:
Anxiety
Fear
Rumination
Anticipated discrimination
Long-term risks:
Cardiovascular strain
Chronic stress burden
Poor health outcomes
CHALLENGE RESPONSE (Adaptive)
Characteristics:
Primarily SAM activation
Increased VC
Increased CO
Decreased TPR
Meaning:
Body mobilizes efficiently.
Psychological equivalent:
Motivation
Resilience
Active coping
“I can handle this”
SIMPLE MEMORY DEVICE:
Threat = Tight vessels, bad stress
Challenge = Efficient circulation, productive stress
KEY POINT:
Discrimination does not automatically produce one response.
Response depends on:
Identity
Prior experience
Socialization
Context
Goals
Available coping strategies
STUDY 1: MENDEZ, BLASCOVICH, LICKEL, & HUNTER (2002)
Design:
Participants:
Non-Black students
Manipulations:
Confederate race:
Black partner
White partner
Background:
Advantaged
Disadvantaged
Stressor:
Participants record a speech knowing partner will evaluate them.
Findings:
Outgroup interactions:
More likely to trigger threat physiology
Why?
Intergroup anxiety
Stereotype concern
Social uncertainty
Ingroup interactions:
More likely challenge response
BIG TAKEAWAY:
Even anticipation of intergroup interaction can alter biology.
STUDY 2: SCHEEPERS ET AL. (2014)
Context:
Dutch participants interacting with:
White Dutch
Moroccan Dutch
Manipulation:
Colorblind ideology:
“Only Dutch identity matters”
Multicultural ideology:
“Dual identities matter”
Findings:
Multicultural framing reduced threat for minorities
Inclusive societal messaging can biologically buffer stress
POLICY IMPLICATION:
Structural narratives (multicultural vs colorblind) shape physiology.
INTERIM SUMMARY
Core principle:
Social structures influence biological responses.
SECTION 2: RACIAL BIAS RESPONSE
HARRELL ET AL. (2011)
Focus:
Racism affects:
Psychological stress
HPA activity
Allostatic load
Disease vulnerability
ALLOSTATIC LOAD:
Definition:
Cumulative wear and tear from chronic stress.
Includes:
Hypertension
Cortisol dysregulation
Immune disruption
Cardiovascular disease
TYPES OF RACISM:
Structural racism:
Institutional systems
Interpersonal racism:
Direct discrimination
Internalized racism:
Acceptance of stereotypes
KEY MECHANISM:
Racism → Vigilance / Rumination → Chronic physiological burden
HARRIS-BRITT ET AL. (2007): POTENTIAL BUFFERS
Variables:
Preparation for bias
Racial socialization
Race pride
Self-esteem
MAJOR FINDINGS:
Preparation for bias:
When families discuss racism realistically:
Effects:
Less shock
Better coping
Reduced perceived discrimination burden
Self-esteem:
Higher self-esteem buffers against negative impact.
IMPORTANT CONCEPT:
Socialization as inoculation
Like a psychological vaccine against harmful surprise.
EXAM INSIGHT:
Bias may still occur, but preparation changes whether it becomes threat or challenge.
SECTION 3: SEXUAL OBJECTIFICATION
CORE IDEA:
Objectification affects targets by shifting attention inward.
Self-objectification:
Viewing oneself from an outsider’s gaze.
GREEN ET AL. (2012)
Design:
Women tried on:
Bikini
Tracksuit
Then looked in mirror.
Findings:
Bikini condition:
Greater self-focus
More body surveillance
Lower heart rate initially (attention/focus)
INTERPRETATION:
Not necessarily panic—but cognitive resources are redirected.
Consequence:
Less mental bandwidth for:
Math
Performance
Executive function
IMPORTANT:
Objectification can impair cognition because attention is consumed.
ROLLERO & DE PICCOLI (2017)
Measured:
Body surveillance
Body shame
Conservatism
Self-enhancement
Openness
Self-transcendence
FINDINGS:
Men:
Narcissism predicts surveillance
Women:
Self-enhancement + low openness predict surveillance
Conservatism predicts body shame
BIG IDEA:
Both social context and personality shape objectification outcomes.
SECTION 4: HOMOPHOBIA / SEXUAL ORIENTATION STIGMA
MINORITY STRESS MODEL
Core concept:
Living in stigmatizing cultures creates chronic stress even without direct discrimination.
Components:
External stigma:
Societal stereotypes
Internalized homophobia:
Believing those stereotypes
Concealment:
Hiding identity
Disclosure stress:
Risk when revealing identity
PEREZ-BENITEZ ET AL. (2007)
Focus:
Disclosure of sexual orientation
High concealers:
Usually hide identity
Low concealers:
Openly disclose
Findings:
High concealers in unsupportive contexts show:
Lower stroke volume
Maladaptive cardiovascular response
More threat physiology
Meaning:
Concealment may protect socially but costs biologically.
FROST & MEYER (2009)
Studied:
Relationship strain among LGBTQ+ individuals
Findings:
Major predictor:
Internalized homophobia → Depression → Relationship strain
Therefore:
Reducing internalized stigma may improve:
Mental health
Relationship quality
Coping
CROSS-LECTURE SYNTHESIS
Across race, gender, and sexuality:
Common pattern:
Bias/stigma → Appraisal → Physiological stress → Health/cognitive/social consequences
KEY BUFFERS ACROSS DOMAINS:
1. Preparation / socialization
2. Self-esteem
3. Identity pride
4. Supportive communities
5. Structural inclusion
POTENTIAL SOLUTIONS
Structural:
Inclusive institutions
Anti-stigma policy
Representation
Access to support
Individual:
Counseling
Self-esteem interventions
Community belonging
HIGH-YIELD EXAM COMPARISONS
Threat vs Challenge:
Threat = maladaptive, strain
Challenge = adaptive, resilience
Race:
Preparation for bias matters
Gender:
Self-objectification drains cognition
Sexuality:
Concealment and internalized stigma are key
SAMPLE ESSAY THEMES
Possible questions:
“How does discrimination affect targets physiologically?”
“Evaluate the biopsychosocial model.”
“What factors buffer minority stress?”
“Compare racial bias, sexual objectification, and homophobia.”
MULTIPLE CHOICE QUESTIONS (MCQ)
1. In the biopsychosocial model, a challenge response is associated with:
A. Increased TPR
B. Increased CO and reduced TPR
C. Reduced VC
D. HPA dominance
Answer: B
2. Which is a maladaptive response?
A. Challenge
B. Threat
C. Resilience
D. Multiculturalism
Answer: B
3. Preparation for bias primarily functions as:
A. A stereotype
B. A physiological disease
C. A coping buffer
D. A political ideology
Answer: C
4. Sexual objectification research originally focused on:
A. Men’s testosterone
B. Women’s target experience
C. Public policy
D. Economics
Answer: B
5. Internalized homophobia most directly predicted:
A. Cardiac output
B. Race pride
C. Depression and relationship strain
D. IQ
Answer: C
6. Allostatic load refers to:
A. Acute joy
B. Long-term stress wear and tear
C. Body image
D. Social mobility
Answer: B
7. In objectification studies, reduced heart rate may indicate:
A. Death
B. Increased attentional focus
C. No response
D. Happiness
Answer: B
FINAL BIG PICTURE
Most important concept:
Bias becomes biologically embedded through stress pathways—but responses are not fixed.
Therefore:
Understanding physiology allows psychology to design:
Better interventions
Better policies
Better resilience strategies
30-SECOND MASTER SUMMARY
Discrimination affects targets through cognitive appraisal systems that alter cardiovascular and hormonal functioning. These effects can become maladaptive (threat) or adaptive (challenge) depending on identity, preparation, and social context. Across racial bias, sexual objectification, and homophobia, resilience is strengthened by socialization, self-esteem, identity support, and structural inclusion.