Microaggressions are defined as subtle, often unintentional behaviors that communicate negative messages about certain groups of people based on their identity characteristics. In educational settings, microaggressions can be directed towards students or faculty members, and they may take various forms such as derogatory remarks, insults, excluding someone from activities, ignoring them, or making jokes at their expense. Microaggressions can add up and have an accumulative effect on self-esteem, leading to feelings of marginalization, exclusion, and diminished belongingness. Institutional policies that promote inclusivity, equity, diversity, and inclusion can help mitigate these effects by creating a supportive environment for all individuals regardless of their background.
One example of how microaggressions can impact self-esteem is through the "mere presence" phenomenon, whereby individuals perceive themselves negatively when exposed to stereotypes or prejudice.
If a student hears comments like "black people are lazy," "women aren't good at math," or "gay people are promiscuous," they may internalize these beliefs and start doubting their own abilities. This can lead to decreased motivation, lower performance, and increased anxiety, which affects their overall well-being and academic success.
Institutional policies that promote inclusivity, equity, and diversity can address this problem in several ways. Firstly, they can provide training programs for faculty and staff members to raise awareness of implicit biases and unconscious attitudes towards different identities. Secondly, they can develop anti-harassment policies that define clear boundaries and consequences for discriminatory behavior, including microaggression incidents. Thirdly, they can implement affirmative action initiatives such as mentorship programs, scholarships, and targeted recruitment to create a more diverse community where everyone feels valued and supported.
They can establish anonymous reporting systems for students and employees who experience microaggressions, so they feel safe speaking up without fear of retaliation.
Educational institutions play an important role in shaping the self-esteem and belongingness of their students and faculty members. Microaggressions are a significant contributor to this process, but institutional policies can mitigate these effects by creating a supportive environment for all individuals regardless of their background.
How do microaggressions in educational settings accumulate to affect self-esteem, and what institutional policies can mitigate these effects?
Microaggression is defined as brief and commonplace verbal, behavioral, or environmental insults that communicate hostile, derogatory, or negative messages to target persons based on their social group membership. Microaggressions have been commonly reported by students from minority groups in educational settings such as college campuses (Davis, 2018).