Implicit and Explicit Stigma of Chronotype in Emerging Adults

Area of Science:

• Psychology
• Sleep Science
• Social Cognition

Background:

• Stigma associated with poor sleep (e.g., insomnia) and mental health (e.g., depression) is well-documented.
• However, the relationship between stigma and evening chronotype (preference for later sleep-wake times) has not been previously investigated.
• This study addresses this gap by examining attitudes towards 'night owls' and 'early birds'.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess and describe explicit and implicit attitudes towards evening and morning chronotypes in emerging adults.
• To determine if negative stigma is associated with evening chronotype, similar to conditions like insomnia and depression.

Main Methods:

• A mixed-methods approach was employed with 49 undergraduates.
• Participants completed self-report measures for demographics and chronotype.
• Attitudes were assessed using explicit self-report questionnaires and an Implicit Association Task (IAT) for implicit biases, supplemented by qualitative free-text responses.

Main Results:

• Evidence of implicit bias against 'night owls' and in favor of 'early birds' was found (implicit d = 0.57).
• Explicit attitudes revealed that 'night owls' were perceived as more lazy, unhealthy, undisciplined, immature, creative, and young.
• No baseline characteristics, including chronotype, significantly predicted implicit bias.

Conclusions:

• Undergraduates displayed significant negative implicit and explicit stigma toward evening chronotypes compared to morning types.
• The findings suggest that societal stigma towards 'night owls' exists and may have adverse consequences.
• Future research should explore the impact of this stigma on individuals with evening chronotypes, and clinical interventions could consider addressing societal stigma to reduce negative emotions impacting sleep.