A stigma is defined as:

A stigma is defined as:

• A. A mark of disgrace associated with a circumstance, quality, or person
• B. Erratic and self-destructive behavior
• C. Having a negative view of others around you
• D. The experience of hearing and seeing things others cannot

Answer: (A)

Stigma is about society labeling and devaluing someone because of a perceived attribute. It’s a mark of disgrace that accompanies a circumstance, quality, or person, and it often leads to discrimination and social exclusion. This makes the defined option the best answer because it captures the essence of stigma as a social judgment, not just a behavior or symptom. The other descriptions point to different ideas: erratic and self-destructive behavior describes actions rather than social labeling; having a negative view of others is prejudice but not the labeling process itself; hearing and seeing things others cannot are hallucinations, not social stigma.

Stigma is about society labeling and devaluing someone because of a perceived attribute. It’s a mark of disgrace that accompanies a circumstance, quality, or person, and it often leads to discrimination and social exclusion. This makes the defined option the best answer because it captures the essence of stigma as a social judgment, not just a behavior or symptom. The other descriptions point to different ideas: erratic and self-destructive behavior describes actions rather than social labeling; having a negative view of others is prejudice but not the labeling process itself; hearing and seeing things others cannot are hallucinations, not social stigma.