Which term refers to participating in one's own oppression?

Which term refers to participating in one's own oppression?

• A. Master-slave paradigm
• B. Intro-oppressor
• C. Auto-oppressor
• D. The oppressor within

Answer: (C)

Internalized oppression happens when members of a marginalized group adopt the beliefs and behaviors of the dominant group and participate in their own subjugation. The term that best captures this is auto-oppressor: it emphasizes that the oppressor comes from within the group itself, not from an external force. A person who internalizes stereotypes or norms of the dominant culture may then police others in their own group, devalue themselves, or enforce conformity to the oppressive standard. For example, someone from a marginalized community might internalize negative stereotypes about their own group and then treat a fellow member who expresses a different cultural style or opinion as inferior. That internalized stance reinforces the oppression by aligning personal attitudes with the oppressor’s system. Recognizing this helps social workers address both external barriers and the internal beliefs that sustain oppression, empowering clients to challenge harmful norms and reclaim their own power. The other terms describe related ideas but aren’t as precise for this phenomenon. The master-slave paradigm refers to broader power dynamics rather than a person from the oppressed group acting against their own group. The oppressor within is a descriptive phrase that communicates the same concept, but auto-oppressor is the established label for the individual-level process of internalizing oppression. Intro-oppressor isn’t a standard term in this context.

Internalized oppression happens when members of a marginalized group adopt the beliefs and behaviors of the dominant group and participate in their own subjugation. The term that best captures this is auto-oppressor: it emphasizes that the oppressor comes from within the group itself, not from an external force. A person who internalizes stereotypes or norms of the dominant culture may then police others in their own group, devalue themselves, or enforce conformity to the oppressive standard.

For example, someone from a marginalized community might internalize negative stereotypes about their own group and then treat a fellow member who expresses a different cultural style or opinion as inferior. That internalized stance reinforces the oppression by aligning personal attitudes with the oppressor’s system. Recognizing this helps social workers address both external barriers and the internal beliefs that sustain oppression, empowering clients to challenge harmful norms and reclaim their own power.

The other terms describe related ideas but aren’t as precise for this phenomenon. The master-slave paradigm refers to broader power dynamics rather than a person from the oppressed group acting against their own group. The oppressor within is a descriptive phrase that communicates the same concept, but auto-oppressor is the established label for the individual-level process of internalizing oppression. Intro-oppressor isn’t a standard term in this context.