Vigilance to Stigma: Past Research and Future Directions

ABSTRACT Vigilance, or being “on guard” due to a potential threat, has been a topic of research for over half a century. Stigma (and discrimination) is an important context in which vigilance is studied because of the threat of physical and psychological harm that results in people being chronically “on the lookout” for future experiences of stigma and discrimination. Over time, this cognitive and physiological activation impacts one's physical health. However, this is the first review to synthesize definitions, measurements, and findings of vigilance to stigma from cognitive, behavioral, physiological, and social perspectives. This review also uncovers future directions in the weight stigma literature, an area that has been seldom included in social identity threat theory and which could benefit from an interdisciplinary and intersectional approach. Specifically, this paper outlines theoretically‐founded paths for future research to ensure that it expands on relevant previous research, rather than assuming that weight‐related vigilance will act the same as other forms, given cultural context.