Liquid placebo solution

Short vignette meant to induce weight stigma by describing one's rejection for a promotion due to their weight

Short vignette meant to have no effect on emotion describing a generic promotion process

The McGill Pain Questionnaire (MPQ) will also be used to assess change in pain severity across sensory, affective, evaluative, and miscellaneous qualities of pain. Pain severity scores may range from 0-78 with high scores reflecting greater pain severity. The MPQ also consists of an overall pain intensity scale ranging from 0-5, with higher scores reflecting greater present pain intensity. Change in pain will be measured by calculating the difference in MPQ score at baseline and the score from the second MPQ administration, which is administered within the final 30 minutes of the two-hour session.

The Visual Analog Scale for Pain (VAS-Pain) will also be used to measure pain. This is a unidimensional measure of physical pain intensity consisting of a line measuring 100 millimeters anchored by two descriptors representing the extremes of pain: "no pain" versus "my pain is as bad as it could possibly be." Participants mark on the line to indicate their current level of pain. Scores range from 0-100 with higher scores, or greater pain intensity, represented by mark's made farther from the "no pain" anchor. Baseline pain will be measured via a VAS-Pain administered with a set of questionnaires in the first hour of the two-hour session.

The Visual Analog Scale for Pain (VAS-Pain) will also be used to measure pain. This is a unidimensional measure of physical pain intensity consisting of a line measuring 100 millimeters anchored by two descriptors representing the extremes of pain: "no pain" versus "my pain is as bad as it could possibly be." Participants mark on the line to indicate their current level of pain. Scores range from 0-100 with higher scores, or greater pain intensity, represented by mark's made farther from the "no pain" anchor. Change in pain will be measured by calculating the difference in VAS-Pain score at baseline and the score from the second VAS-Pain administration, which is administered within the final 30 minutes of the two-hour session.

The Stigma Situations Inventory (SSI) is a 50-item questionnaire of lifetime frequency of obesity-related experiences rated on a 0 (never) to 9 (daily) scale. A higher mean score across all items suggesting greater experience of weight stigma. SSI is administered with a series of questionnaires in the first hour of the two-hour session and will provide a baseline measure of weight stigma experience.

The Weight Bias Internalization Scale (WBIS) is an 11-item scale measuring individuals' belief that anti-fat attitudes are relevant to the self. Items are answered on a 7-point Likert scale ranging from 1 (strongly disagree) to 7 (strongly agree), with total scores ranging from 11 to 77. WBIS is administered with a series of questionnaires in the first hour of the two-hour session and will provide a baseline measure of belief that anti-fat attitudes are relevant to the self.

The Stigma Impact Scale (SIS) is a 24-item measure used to evaluate the impact of perceived stigma among those with chronic illnesses. The term 'illness' has been changed to 'condition' to enhance applicability to participants in this study. Each item is rated on a 5-point Likert scale ranging from 0 (not applicable) to 4 (strongly agree). Total scores range from 0-96, with higher scores reflecting greater perceived impact of stigma. SIS is administered with a series of questionnaires in the first hour of the two-hour session and will provide a baseline measure of perceived impact of condition, in this case obesity, on the respondent.

The Impact of Weight on Quality of Life-Lite (IWQOL-Lite) is a 31-item measure of obesity-related quality of life. Each item is rated on a 5-point Likert scale. Total scores range from 31 to 155 with higher scores reflecting greater impact of weight on quality of life. IWQOL-Lite is administered with a series of questionnaires in the first hour of the two-hour session and will provide a baseline measure of impact of weight on quality of life.

The Medical Outcomes Survey, Short Form-36 (SF-36) is a 36-item measure of health-related quality of life. Mental and physical quality of life scores are calculated into a 0-100 scale, with higher scores reflecting better health-related quality of life. SF-36 is administered with a series of questionnaires in the first hour of the two-hour session and will provide a baseline measure of health-related quality of life.

The Positive and Negative Affect Schedule (PANAS) is a 20-item measure of positive and negative affect. A 5-point Likert scale is used to indicate the degree to which one is experiencing an emotion during the present moment. Total scores for the negative and positive affect subscales range from 10-50. PANAS is administered with a series of questionnaires in the first hour of the two-hour session and will provide a baseline measure of present moment emotional experience.

The Positive and Negative Affect Schedule (PANAS) is a 20-item measure of positive and negative affect. A 5-point Likert scale is used to indicate the degree to which one is experiencing an emotion during the present moment. Total scores for the negative and positive affect subscales range from 10-50. Change in PANAS will be calculated and represent a change in present moment emotional experience during the course of the session. This will be calculated by determining the difference between PANAS scores at baseline and the second PANAS administration, which is administered within the final 30 minutes of the two-hour session.

The Visual Analog Scale for Distress (VAS-Distress) is a unidimensional measure of distress intensity consisting of a line measuring 100 millimeters anchored by two descriptors representing the extremes of distress: "no distress" versus "as distressed as I could possibly be." Participants mark on the line to indicate their current level of distress. Scores range from 0-100 with higher scores, or greater distress intensity, represented by mark's made farther from the "no distress" anchor. Baseline distress will be measured via a VAS-Distress administered with a set of questionnaires in the first hour of the two-hour session.

The Visual Analog Scale for Distress (VAS-Distress) is a unidimensional measure of distress intensity consisting of a line measuring 100 millimeters anchored by two descriptors representing the extremes of distress: "no distress" versus "as distressed as I could possibly be." Participants mark on the line to indicate their current level of distress. Scores range from 0-100 with higher scores, or greater distress intensity, represented by mark's made farther from the "no distress" anchor. Change in distress will be measured by calculating the difference in VAS-Distress score at baseline and the score from the second VAS-Distress administration, which is administered within the final 30 minutes of the two-hour session.

The Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) is used to assess sleep behavioral (quality and disturbances) over a one-month interval. The PSQI yields a total score (ranging 0-21) as well as the following seven subscales (ranging 0-3): subjective sleep quality, sleep latency, sleep duration, habitual sleep efficiency, sleep disturbances, use of sleep medications, and daytime dysfunction. Higher scores reflect worse sleep quality. The PSQI will be administered with a set of questionnaires in the first hour of the two-hour session.

The Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale (RSES) is a 10-item measure used to assess overall self-esteem. Both positive and negative feelings about the self are measured. Items are answered on a Likert scale ranging from 0 (strongly agree) to 3 (strongly disagree), with higher scores indicating higher self-esteem. The RSES will be administered with a set of questionnaires in the first hour of the two-hour session.

The Need Threat Scale is a 12-item measure designed to assess one's need for belonging, self-esteem, control, and meaningful existence, each of which represent a subscale of the measure. Respondents indicate how they are feeling right now using a five-point Likert scale ranging from "not at all" to "very much so." In addition to four subscale scores, a composite score is calculated by averaging responses across the 12 items, with lower scores reflecting less needs satisfaction (i.e., more need threat). The Need Threat Scale will be administered with a set of questionnaires in the first hour of the two-hour session.

The Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) is a 14-item measure developed to assess depression and anxiety among non-psychiatric medical patients. Respondents are asked to rate each item on a scale ranging from 0 (not at all) to 3 (most of the time). The HADS consists of a total distress score ranging from 0-42, and two subscales consisting of seven items each: anxiety (range 0-21) and depression (range 0-21). Higher scores reflect greater distress. The HADS will be administered with a set of questionnaires in the first hour of the two-hour session.

The Buckley Scale is a 12-item measure designed to assess feelings of happiness, anxiety, anger, sadness, and hurt feelings in the present moment. The scale is composed of five subscales for these five domains of emotion. Respondents indicate the degree to which they endorse a particular feeling using a seven-point Likert scale ranging from "not at all" to "extremely," with higher scores reflecting more intensity of each of the aforementioned emotions. The Buckley Scale will be administered with a set of questionnaires in the first hour of the two-hour session.

The Buckley Scale is a 12-item measure designed to assess feelings of happiness, anxiety, anger, sadness, and hurt feelings in the present moment. The scale is composed of five subscales for these five domains of emotion. Respondents indicate the degree to which they endorse a particular feeling using a seven-point Likert scale ranging from "not at all" to "extremely," with higher scores reflecting more intensity of each of the aforementioned emotions. Change in Buckley Scale will be calculated by determining the difference between Buckley Scale score at baseline and score from when it is administered again within the final 30 minutes of the two-hour session.

The Binge Eating Scale (BES) is a 16-item questionnaire designed to assess the behavioral (e.g., large amount of food consumed), as well as the cognitive and emotional (e.g., feeling out of control while eating), features of binge eating. Respondents select one of three or four response options coded 0 to 2 or 3, respectively. Scores are summed and range from 0 to 46, with higher scores reflecting more severe binge eating problems. The BES will be administered with a set of questionnaires in the first hour of the two-hour session.

A single-item measure will be administered to assess vividness of participants' recall of the instance when they themselves experienced weight stigmatization that they write about in the weight stigma induction.