Negative Judgments Research Articles

A Sense of Scarcity Enhances the Above-Average Effect in Social Comparison.

Scarcity refers to a state in which an individual's resources do not satisfy his/her needs. A sense of scarcity evokes negative emotions. A fundamental strategy for coping with this negative threat is for people to emphasize the desirability of their personal traits. In this study, a 2 (sense of scarcity: high or low) × 2 (valence: positive or negative) mixed-design experiment was conducted to examine whether and how a sense of scarcity affected one's self-evaluation. Participants were assigned randomly to a high- or low-scarcity group. The chances of assistance rendered to an individual during a word puzzle task were manipulated to induce a high or low sense of scarcity. Then, participants were asked to make positive and negative trait judgments of themselves compared with their average peers. The results showed that people judged their personalities to be more desirable (i.e., more positive and less negative traits) than their average peers, manifesting the above-average effect. More importantly, people with a high sense of scarcity manifested a greater above-average effect than those with a low sense of scarcity. This study suggests that people could highlight their positive aspects to cope with predicaments in social life.

Negative first impression judgements of autistic children by non-autistic adults.

Although autism inclusion and acceptance has increased in recent years, autistic people continue to face stigmatization, exclusion, and victimization. Based on brief 10-second videos, non-autistic adults rate autistic adults less favourably than they rate non-autistic adults in terms of traits and behavioural intentions. In the current study, we extended this paradigm to investigate the first impressions of autistic and non-autistic children by non-autistic adult raters and examined the relationship between the rater's own characteristics and bias against autistic children. Segments of video recorded interviews from 15 autistic and 15 non-autistic children were shown to 346 undergraduate students in audio with video, audio only, video only, transcript, or still image conditions. Participants rated each child on a series of traits and behavioural intentions toward the child, and then completed a series of questionnaires measuring their own social competence, autistic traits, quantity and quality of past experiences with autistic people, and explicit autism stigma. Overall, autistic children were rated more negatively than non-autistic children, particularly in conditions containing audio. Raters with higher social competence and explicit autism stigma rated autistic children more negatively, whereas raters with more autistic traits and more positive past experiences with autistic people rated autistic children more positively. These rapid negative judgments may contribute to the social exclusion experienced by autistic children. The findings indicate that certain personal characteristics may be related to more stigmatised views of autism and decreased willingness to interact with the autistic person. The implications of the findings are discussed in relation to the social inclusion and well-being of autistic people.

The Effect of Social Networks on Active Living in Adolescents: Qualitative Focus Group Study.

Participation in organized sports and other forms of active living have important health benefits in adolescence and adulthood. Unfortunately, the transition to secondary school has been shown to be a barrier to participation. Social networks can play important roles in activating adolescents, and information and communication technology (ICT) interventions can augment this role. To date, there are few insights into what adolescents themselves think and feel about barriers to and motivators for active living, the role of their social networks in active living, and the potential of ICT for physical activity (PA). This study aimed to gather insights into the perspectives of adolescents aged 12 to 14 years on active living and sports participation, motivators and demotivators for active living, and the potential roles of their social network and of ICT. A total of 26 adolescents aged 12 to 14 years from different levels of Dutch secondary schools participated in 1 of 5 semistructured focus group interviews, in which they talked about sports and PA, their social networks, their ICT use, and the role of social networks and ICT in PA. All interviews were transcribed and analyzed using a thematic qualitative approach. The study showed that all participants were physically active, although the transition to secondary school made this difficult, mostly because of time constraints. Participants saw positive physical and mental health effects as important benefits of active living. They regarded social benefits as strong motivators for active living: being together, making friends, and having fun together. However, the social network could also demotivate through negative peer judgment and negative feedback. Participants were willing to share their own positive experiences and hear about those from close peers and friends but would not share their own (and were not interested in others') negative experiences or personal information. Participants were mainly interested in descriptive norms set by others and obtained inspiration from others for PA. With respect to using ICT for active living, participants stated a preference for social challenges among friends, personalized feedback, goals, activities, and rewards. Competition was seen as less important or even unattractive. If mentioned, participants felt that this should be with friends, or peers of a similar level, with fun being more important than the competition itself. This study shows that adolescents feel that their social network is and can be a strong driver of active living. They are willing to use ICT-based solutions that make use of social networks for PA as long as these solutions involve their current (close) network and use an approach based on being together and having fun together.

Value Judgments in Criminal Law Interpretation

Criminal law interpretation in China faces two primary challenges in terms of value judgments. Normative interpretations often fall into circular and inadequate reasoning, while judges, the key figures in applying interpretive principles, frequently lack the necessary value judgment engagement and proficiency. Traditional criminal law interpretation is ensnared in a subjective-objective dichotomy, resulting in a misalignment with the aim of “legitimate and rational” interpretation practices in China. To rectify this, a philosophical shift is required to allow intersubjective value judgments while maintaining subjectivity-objectivity as the prerequisite. Criminal law interpretation ensures the completeness of value judgments through a combination of specialized knowledge and public discourse. This involves the creation of systematic criteria for value judgments and adherence to legal principles. The former necessitates defining the internal and external standards of value judgments, formulating rules for the resolution of conflicting standards, and underlining the practical importance of criminalization under law, or “no crime or punishment without law” (the principle that only the law can define a crime and prescribe a penalty) and “Where no law applies, it is permissible to redefine a crime as non-criminal or minor” (decriminalization). The latter involves three perspectives: logical reasoning and theoretical arguments; positive and negative judgments; and formal and substantive rationality. Moreover, it should be approached from four dimensions: normative orientation, individual case promotion, reverse exclusion, and constitutional guidance.

Judging emotions as good or bad: Individual differences and associations with psychological health.

People differ in their initial emotional responses to events, and we are beginning to understand these responses and their pervasive implications for psychological health. However, people also differ in how they think about and react to their initial emotions (i.e., emotion judgments). In turn, how people judge their emotions-as predominantly positive or negative-may have crucial implications for psychological health. Across five MTurk and undergraduate samples collected between 2017 and 2022 (total N = 1,647), we investigated the nature of habitual emotion judgments (Aim 1) and their associations with psychological health (Aim 2). In Aim 1, we found four distinct habitual emotion judgments that differ according to the valence of the judgment (positive or negative) and the valence of the emotion being judged (positive or negative). Individual differences in habitual emotion judgments were moderately stable across time and were associated with, but not redundant with, conceptually related constructs (e.g., affect valuation, emotion preferences, stress mindsets, meta-emotions) and broader traits (i.e., extraversion, neuroticism, trait emotions). In Aim 2, positive judgments of positive emotions were uniquely associated with better psychological health and negative judgments of negative emotions were uniquely associated with worse psychological health concurrently and prospectively, above and beyond the other types of emotion judgments, and above and beyond conceptually related constructs and broader traits. This research gives insight into how people judge their emotions, how these judgments relate to other emotion-related constructs, and their implications for psychological health. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved).

The Road to Mastery: An Analysis of Goal Orientation in the Transition from Medical School to Surgical Residency

Goal orientation (GO) is a psychological construct which describes an individual's intrinsic motivation for learning in terms of mastery and performance goals. Mastery goals relate to the intrinsic drive to learn for the sake of learning, while performance goals are oriented toward validating one's own competence by seeking favorable judgments (Performance Approach; PAP) or avoiding negative judgments (Performance Avoid; PAV). Having a mastery GO has been shown to improve overall job satisfaction as well as optimize job performance. We therefore aimed to examine how GO changes during the transition to residency, which is a notoriously challenging period in medical education, and identify interventions that can increase mastery of GO. The validated Goal Orientation in Surgical Trainees (GO-ST) instrument was administered to incoming surgical interns (n = 19) during orientation in a single, university-based program and again at 3 months into the internship. The perceived stress scale (PSS) was also administered at 3 months. Focus groups were used to assess resident perceptions and identify interventions at the end of the 3-month period. Eighteen interns (95%) completed a baseline GO-ST assessment and the 3-month follow-up, including the PSS. Mastery GO decreased from orientation to 3-month follow-up for the entire cohort, but this was not significant (3.89-3.63; p = 0.19). Preliminary interns showed a significant increase in PAV orientation after 3 months (3.28-3.67; p = 0.04) and had significantly lower mastery orientation scores at this time (4.07 vs 3.19; p = 0.02). PSS was significantly higher in preliminary interns at 3 months (18.56 vs 11.89; p = 0.04). Those who were predominantly mastery oriented had significantly lower perceived stress scores (11.64 vs 20.10; p = 0.002) compared with those that had performance goal orientations (PAP and PAV). Five interns (28%) participated in focus groups-identifying pertinent themes: 1) Perceptions of competence, 2) Training security; 3) Feedback approach, 4) Expectations of competence, and 5) Approaches to growth. Mastery GO declines during the transition to surgical residency. Maladaptive PAV orientation increases in preliminary interns due to different short-term priorities and assumptions of competence. Expectations and perceptions of intern competence by senior residents and attendings have a large impact on intern GO. Identifying interventions that optimize mastery goal orientation and minimize performance avoid orientation will potentially minimize intern stress, thereby improving both well-being and clinical performance.

How do individuals with autism participate in work life? A study on inclusive employability

PurposeIn studies considering the employment of individuals with autism, the organisational context – which consists of the behaviours and attitudes of employees – has frequently been neglected. This study investigates the employment of workers with autism, who have an intellectual disability (AID) in Türkiye. The study aims to understand the perspectives of managers and co-workers with regard to the employment of individuals with AID.Design/methodology/approachThe authors conducted interviews with 23 people who were the co-workers, managers and parents of workers with AID. They also reviewed performance documents concerning employees with AID and analysed the data using qualitative content analysis.FindingsThe employment of individuals with AID has caused concern amongst employees within organisations. However, training activities have raised awareness of autism amongst those employees. This new awareness has overcome initial negative judgements about the employment of individuals with AID, turning these instead into positive ones. Thus, social interaction between workers with AID and their co-workers has increased.Practical implicationsThis research provides evidence of the positive impact of employees with AID on companies and shows that employing individuals with AID in inclusive contexts improves their quality of life. It also provides guidance for the design of training programmes for employees and the adaptation processes of people with disabilities in the workplace.Originality/valueThis study emphasises the role of the organisational context in the successful employment of people with AID in supported employment settings. It could contribute to changing attitudes and negative expectations and guide interventions in these contexts.

Shouldering the burden: Intensive mothering and autism

AbstractObjectiveThe objective of this study was to identify the degree to which intensive mothering ideology corresponds to the perspectives and roles of mothers of young adults with autism.BackgroundPrevious research suggests that intensive mothering ideology shapes the perspectives and roles of mothers in general. However, few studies have examined how the ideology specifically relates to mothers of young adults with autism. Research is needed to understand the roles that mothers of young adults with autism assume within the context of intensive mothering.MethodIn‐depth interviews were conducted with a purposeful sample of 19 mothers of adult children with autism. Interview data were analyzed using a constructivist grounded theory approach.ResultsMothers devoted much time and effort to caring for or otherwise assisting their adult children with autism, assuming the roles of protector, advocate, and case manager. Mothers struggled to live up to the expectations of intensive mothering but, simultaneously, resented the degree to which they had to advocate and manage services for their adult children.ConclusionMothers may feel added pressure to meet the needs of adult children with autism. Many are susceptible to self‐blame and internalizing others' negative judgments of their parenting abilities, but some view themselves as good mothers based on the challenges they have overcome.ImplicationsService providers can adopt a family‐based approach to services for adults with autism and their families. Policymakers could explore opportunities to make the adult service system more attentive to the needs of caregivers.

Psycho-Social Impact of Stigmatization against Pregnant Women with HIV

Background: Stigmatization, discrimination, and poor social support are challenges faced by people living with HIV, and the stigmatization of pregnant women with HIV is still very frequent, which can have a profound negative impact on patient's health. This can have a psychosocial impact on the sufferer. Objective: To study and determine the psychosocial impact of discriminatory behavior towards pregnant patients with HIV. Methods: This is a case report of two cases of pregnant women with HIV at the Voluntary Counseling and Testing (VCT) Polyclinic of RSUP Prof. Dr. I.G.N.G. Go to Denpasar. In-depth interviews were conducted with them regarding their views on openness to their families and communities about their condition. Results and Discussion: It was reported that two cases of pregnant women with HIV who were carrying out antenatal care in the Obstetrics and Gynecology Polyclinic Room, Prof. dr. I.G.N.G Ngoerah Central General Hospital Denpasar. In both cases, discriminatory treatment and stigma still strongly haunt the sufferers even though the form and source are slightly different. In the first case, the patient was afraid of getting discriminatory treatment and stigmatization that came from the family environment and the wider environment. Meanwhile, in the second case, it shows that the discriminatory treatment that causes stigma does not only come from far away but also comes from the people themselves. Both have a psychosocial impact that creates a sense of social discomfort, even though the race is slowly diminishing with the assistance of a counselor. There is a need for a wide range of active education by health workers to the patient's family and the community in reducing the stigma and discrimination against pregnant women with HIV. Conclusion: Women with HIV, especially those who are pregnant, are still full of negative judgments, and discriminatory behavior towards them. This can cause psychosocial impacts on patients. The disparity between knowledge about unknown patterns of HIV transmission on the one hand and risky sexual behavior, on the other hand, can be one of the risk factors for contracting HIV. This also contributes to stigma and discrimination against pregnant women with HIV.

Weight centrism in research on Children's active transport to school

IntroductionWeight-bias is defined as negative weight-related attitudes, assumptions and judgments toward individuals living in a body labelled overweight or obese. Its impact on mental and physical health outcomes is well documented. Examples of weight-bias abound in cultural and societal contexts, with people in larger bodies regularly shamed and excluded by an unforgiving social narrative. The presence of weight-bias in research, however, is more subtle. It is propagated by a weight-centric approach to research design which prioritises the prevention of weight gain, contrary to scientific evidence suggesting an urgent need to decouple health from weight. MethodThis article brings the concept of weight-centrism to the attention of scholars and professionals seeking to understand the links between transport and human health. A series of evidence-based tenets of weight-centrism are used to develop a set of four expressions of weight centrism, which is then applied to 107 scholarly papers on children's active transport. The review found that 79% of studies displayed at least one expression of weight centrism, with over half exhibiting at least three. The paper discusses the empirical, personal and professional impacts of an overt focus on children's weight in this body of work. Resultsand conclusions: Scholars and professionals working at the intersections of transport and health should be aware of the regimes of truth underpinning their activities, and seek to minimise perpetuation of associated harms. Weight centrism represents one such regime that has, to date, escaped the attention of scholars and practitioners working in this space.

Specialized late cingulo-opercular network activation elucidates the mechanisms underlying decisions about ambiguity

Cortical task control networks, including the cingulo-opercular (CO) network play a key role in decision-making across a variety of functional domains. In particular, the CO network functions in a performance reporting capacity that supports successful task performance, especially in response to errors and ambiguity. In two studies testing the contribution of the CO network to ambiguity processing, we presented a valence bias task in which masked clearly and ambiguously valenced emotional expressions were slowly revealed over several seconds. This slow reveal task design provides a window into the decision-making mechanisms as they unfold over the course of a trial. In the main study, the slow reveal task was administered to 32 young adults in the fMRI environment and BOLD time courses were extracted from regions of interest in three control networks. In a follow-up study, the task was administered to a larger, online sample (n = 81) using a more extended slow reveal design with additional unmasking frames. Positive judgments of surprised faces were uniquely accompanied by slower response times and strong, late activation in the CO network. These results support the initial negativity hypothesis, which posits that the default response to ambiguity is negative and positive judgments are associated with a more effortful controlled process, and additionally suggest that this controlled process is mediated by the CO network. Moreover, ambiguous trials were characterized by a second CO response at the end of the trial, firmly placing CO function late in the decision-making process.

‘She is not a virgin so why refuse the lecturer sex?’: An appraisal of cyberspace discourse of sexual harassment in Nigerian tertiary institutions

This study argues that online discourse about female victims of sexual harassment contain stances and stereotypical assumptions that portray negative attitudes towards the victims. Using Martin and White’s Appraisal Theory aided by Lazar’s Feminist Critical Discourse Analysis, it analyses the attitudes and opinions of Nigerian online participants about the victims, and discusses the ideological perceptions about them in order to explicate the nature of discursivity and stance-taking in online discussions on sexual harassment cases in Nigerian Universities. The data comprise 500 readers’ comments on online narrations about sexual harassment in five Nigerian universities downloaded from Nairaland.com . Findings reveal the use of negative affect and judgement expressed towards victims of sexual harassment present them as liars and willing accomplices in the harassment situation. Also, dimensions of ideological perceptions of females portray them as guilty victims whose behaviours and actions instigated the harassment.

Conceptualising social licence to operate

In the 25 years since its inception, the concept of social licence to operate (SLO) has become widely used within both industry and academia. Despite this, there is no agreement as to what SLO is and what is required to achieve it. This conceptual ambiguity results in organisations struggling to understand how to achieve SLO and leaves many cynical about its use. Through literature review, this paper brings together existing conceptualisations of social licence to operate, presenting an explanatory model for how individuals form SLO judgements. We highlight four key stages in the formation of an SLO judgement: the assimilation of information by the individual; the formation of perceptions about the project; the application of cognitive processes to these perceptions; and the formation of legitimacy, trust, and overall SLO judgements. Next, we highlight the role of actions as the link between SLO judgements and operational outcomes. We note that where individuals’ negative SLO judgements are supressed, or they lack power over organisations, they will not have an impact on operations, causing an uncoupling of SLO judgements and operational outcomes. This uncoupling can also occur if operations are halted for non-SLO related reasons. This model represents a greater level of detail as to the process by which individuals form SLO judgements than previous conceptualisations, thus providing a clearer understanding of how the components of an SLO interact with each other.

Social Categorisation and Social Identification: The Mediating Role of Social Isolation and Loneliness in Adolescents Living with HIV

BackgroundSocial isolation and loneliness are associated with living with a chronic condition particularly where stigma is a factor. Our study aimed to examine the lived experience of adolescents living with HIV in relation to isolation because of their diagnosis and consequences of disclosure. Giddens’ structuration theory was used as an analytic framework to identify the potential mechanisms underlying adolescents living with HIV’s experiences.MethodLongitudinal in-depth interviews were conducted with 20 adolescents living with HIV aged 15–24 years with each participant taking part in three interviews (total 60) between September 2020 and October 2021. Thematic analysis was performed using Braun and Clarke’s steps for coding and analysing qualitative data and informed by the structuration theory framework.ResultsThe findings indicated that adolescents living with HIV have agency and make conscious choices about sharing their status. However, these choices are influenced by their experiences in their community. The discrimination and negative judgements they often experience prevent them from disclosing their status. Stigma, discrimination, and psychological distress contribute to the isolation that adolescents and young adults living with HIV experience. The limited disclosure itself can lead to them becoming isolated and lonely.ConclusionThe negative experiences which adolescents living with HIV face can have an impact not only on their psychological wellbeing but also on their decision to disclose and seek support. These experiences may lead to social isolation and loneliness, an unintended consequence of their action in protecting themselves from the conditions created by the structures/environment in which they live.

Degrees of negative judgement

Abstract Studies on sentencing are dominated by normative studies prescribing how judges should sentence. Few studies examine how judges actually sentence. This study provides an insight into the empirical reality of judges’ sentencing practices by examining their negative judgements (of propriety) of offenders and their behaviour in six sentencing remarks. It finds that judges are doing more appraisal work when their sentencing decisions are below or much higher than the starting point, but less appraisal work when their sentencing decisions are just a few years above the starting point. Such findings demonstrate that the starting point has a binding power on judges’ sentencing practices despite judges having the discretion to arrive at a sentencing decision of any length (whatever the starting point). Findings of the current study could provide meaningful starting points for future examination of large quantities of sentencing remarks.

Weight stigma after bariatric surgery: A qualitative study with Brazilian women.

Prior studies suggest that one anticipated benefit of bariatric surgery is the achievement of a thinner body, one that is less subject to perceived negative judgment and condemnation by others. However, additional analyses also indicate that stigma may persist even with significant post-surgery weight loss. To investigate the stigma-related perceptions and experiences of women who have undergone bariatric surgery and the resulting body transformations, we conducted individual, semi-structured interviews with thirty Brazilian women (15 aged 33-59 and 15 aged 63-72). The resulting text was then analyzed using thematic analysis. We found that some form of weight stigma persisted for our participants, regardless of weight loss. Ongoing experiences of stigma were also evidenced by the constant internal and external vigilance reported by the women, as well as their articulated efforts to distance themselves from their previous bodies. Additionally, participants reported being judged for choosing an "easy way out" to lose weight. Those in the older group reported that weight stigma was entangled with ageism: older participants received mixed messages underscoring the ways that weight and age may interact in doubly stigmatizing ways. Family and close peers were especially powerful sources of stigma experiences. Collectively, these results show that weight stigma persists even when people undergo a procedure to lose substantive weight and that the degree and types of stigma experiences are influenced by gender and age. Our study suggest future research should explore whether a targeted approach might be more effective, for example, an approach that would emphasize the importance of developing coping strategies with respect to experiences of stigma and discrimination after surgery.

The physical education experiences of pupils with juvenile idiopathic arthritis: An ableism-critical perspective

There is an ever-growing body of research relating to disabled pupils’ experiences of physical education (PE). However, our research is novel because it draws on an ableism-critical perspective to amplify the voices and centre the PE experiences of pupils with juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA). We used an online survey to gather quantitative and qualitative data from 100 participants with a diagnosis to explore their perceptions of: (a) the influence of JIA on participation in PE; (b) relationships with same-aged peers and their influence on experiences in PE; (c) relationships with teachers and their influence on experiences in PE; and (d) the appropriateness of the PE curriculum. Microsoft Excel was utilised to analyse quantitative data and produce descriptive statistics that were used to map views and experiences of PE, while qualitative data generated from open questions were analysed thematically. We discuss data in relation to the following themes: (a) pain, fatigue, and fear of injury restricted participation in PE; (b) awareness and (mis)understanding of JIA; (c) the negative judgements of others and peer bullying in PE; and (d) the (in)appropriateness of the PE curriculum. We end this article by emphasising the importance of disrupting ableist ideologies, discourses, and knowledge, particularly as these all relate to (mis)understandings of JIA and negative perceptions about the ability of such pupils in PE, because they are contributing to the marginalisation and ostracisation of pupils with JIA.

‘What a waste of time’: An examination of cybersecurity legitimacy

AbstractManagers who oversee cybersecurity policies commonly rely on managerial encouragement (e.g., rewards) and employee characteristics (e.g., attitude) to drive compliant behaviour. However, whereas some cybersecurity initiatives are perceived as reasonable by employees, others are viewed as a ‘waste of time’. This research introduces employee judgements of cybersecurity legitimacy as a new angle for understanding employee compliance with cybersecurity policies over time. Drawing on theory from the organisational legitimacy and cybersecurity literature, we conduct a three‐wave survey of 529 employees and find that, for each separate wave, negative legitimacy judgements mediate the relationship between management support and compliance, as well as between cybersecurity inconvenience and compliance. Our results provide support for cybersecurity legitimacy as an important influence on employee compliance with cybersecurity initiatives. This is significant because it highlights to managers the importance of not simply expecting compliant employee behaviour to follow from the introduction of cybersecurity initiatives, but that employees need to be convinced that the initiatives are fair and reasonable. Interestingly, we did not find sufficient support for our expectation that the increased likelihood of a cybersecurity incident will moderate the legitimacy‐policy compliance relationship. This result suggests that the legitimacy perceptions of employees are unyielding to differences in the risk characteristics of the cybersecurity incidents facing organisations.

Risky research? Exploring the potentially detrimental effects of employing stigma scales

Research on stigma is confronted with major ethical challenges. One potential risk of investigating stigma utilizing self-reports includes the unintentional reinforcement of stigma. Commonly used self-report scales to assess stigma usually include items that directly confront people with the negative stereotypes underlying the stigma. Even though findings in the domain of priming research suggest that such a way of assessing stigma might potentially activate and reinforce existing stigma-relevant beliefs, research to date has neglected the issue of potential detrimental effects. A preregistered online experiment was conducted with a sample of 762 participants (51.1% female, Mage = 49.7 years, SDage = 16.4, 69.9% with some form of tertiary education). The objective of the study was to explore the potential impact of exposure to stigma scales which incorporate negative stereotypes on the development of stigmatizing attitudes toward two specific groups: individuals who use pre-exposure prophylaxis for HIV prevention and patients who undergo weight loss surgery. The findings underline the relevance of the issue by showing that responding to negative stereotypical items on a stigma scale bears the risk of facilitating scale-related stereotype accessibility, negative judgment, and promoting social demarcation from the groups under investigation.

Building (and breaking) a vicious cycle formed by extreme working conditions, work intensification, and perceived well-being: a study of dirty workers in Brazilian favelas

This study aims to understand how extreme working conditions, work intensification, and employee well-being are related in the context of dirty work. We conducted a grounded theory study through interviews with 57 workers in so called ‘dirty jobs’ who are tasked with cutting off electricity in Brazilian favelas. Our model showed that, when working in extreme conditions, dirty workers seek to build more positive meanings in relation to their professional occupation as a way of collectively reacting to the negative judgments they receive. This process leads them to identify more with their work role, to work more intensely, and to experience a sense of well-being at work. With that, they also accept and even want to continue to work in extreme conditions. However, when workers experience situations in which their sense of self is threatened, they reject being subjected to extreme working conditions and limit the intensity of their work.