Emergent stigma: The collateral damage that ‘Karens’ cause to people named Karen

Abstract

People’s names sometimes become nouns or adjectives in everyday usage. These nouns can have either positive or negative connotations. However, because names are an important aspect of one’s identity, we examined the psychological consequences of having one’s first name become a societally recognized insult by investigating the novel stereotype of “A Karen.” In Study 1 (N = 435), perceivers reported negative impressions not just of a “stereotypical Karen,” but also of individuals whose first name is Karen. In Study 2 (N = 195), individuals named Karen reported experiencing substantial name-based stigma, and experimentally, when a particular mistreatment was attributable to their name, they reported greater threat to basic needs and negative affect. Findings indicate negative consequences of this stereotype for those who are named Karen.