Cultural stereotypes of disabled and non‐disabled men and women: Consensus for global category representations and diagnostic domains

Abstract

Despite the fact that disabled people comprise a heterogeneous social group, cross-impairment cultural stereotypes reflect a consistent set of beliefs used to characterize this population as dependent, incompetent, and asexual. Using a free-response methodology, stereotypical beliefs about disabled men (DM) and women (DW) were contrasted against the stereotypes of their non-disabled counterparts illustrating the dimensions considered most diagnostic of each group. Results revealed that both disabled and non-disabled participants expressed consensus about the contents of group stereotypes that exaggerate traditional gender role expectations of the non-disabled while minimizing perceived differences between DM and DW. Implications for the field of stereotyping and prejudice, and the individual and system justifying functions of cultural stereotypes are discussed.

Students’ Stereotypes of Autism

“…Devine, 1989). This emphasis on societal beliefs is commonly used when measuring stereotypes (e.g., see Devine, 1989;Fiske et al, 2002;Nario-Redmond, 2010), and helps to reduce social desirability concerns.…”

“…Studies examining stereotypes of disabled people in general indicate a predominantly negative stereotype. For example, Nario-Redmond (2010) found that disabled men and women were characterised as dependent, incompetent, and asexual. Fiske, Cuddy, Glick, and Xu (2002) similarly found that disabled people were seen as low in competence, though high in warmth.…”

“…Frequency tables were then used to analyse stereotype content. In order to measure the valence of the stereotype of autism, Study 2 had participants rate the valence of the 10 most frequently mentioned stereotypic traits from Study 1, along with traits frequently used to described disabled and non-disabled people, in general (Nario-Redmond, 2010). The latter sets of traits were included in order to provide appropriate comparison groups for interpreting the valence of the stereotype of autism.…”

Discapacidad: una heurística para la condición humana

“…Because of this, and for generations, bodily differences have determined social structures based on this distinction 8,9 . In this way, a "model of humanity" has been developed, to which the first fit and the others do not.…”

“…In this way, a "model of humanity" has been developed, to which the first fit and the others do not. In turn, this distinction is a reflection of the fact that, when we think of disability, we usually think of it in terms of a sociological category 9 and not as a condition that we can experience.…”