[Prejudices and negative attitudes towards the disabled: critical comments on the controversial statements of R. Zimmermann and H. J. Kagelmann (author's transl)].
In an article published in this journal (pp. 101-106, 1977) I stated that prejudices towards the disabled cannot only be attributed to societal factors and stressed that the world-wide existence of these negative attitudes can be explained by two biological pre-dispositions, i.e., the inclination to a specific reaction towoards outsiders and the fear reaction towards strangers. Zimmermann and Kagelmann criticise this opinion. They are convinced that these negative attitudes are almost exclusively caused by societal conditions. In this article I reply to their viewpoints and demonstrate that it is not contradictory, as my critics say, that we observe, on the one hand, the widespread existence of a specific reaction towards outsiders, and on the other hand, the occurence of social help amongst animals and human beings. These two attitudes are only antagonistic components of social behavior. The problem of the applicability of animal research results to human behaviour is studied. Zimmermann and Kagelmann's statement that ethologists do not want to see the dangers inherent in the theory of inborn dispositions is vigorously repudiated. It is demonstrated that "inborn" does not mean that this behavioural disposition is determined by fate, since genetic pre-dispositions, too, can be influenced by environmental factors such as education.
D000818:Animals; D001294:Attitude to Health; D001522:Behavior, Animal; D001717:Birds; D006233:Persons with Disabilities; D005399:Fishes; D006801:Humans; D007398:Interpersonal Relations; D008322:Mammals; D011287:Prejudice; D011639:Public Opinion
Vorurteile und Negativeinstellungen Behinderten gegenüber. Kritische Stellungnahme zu den kontroversen Bemerkungen von R. Zimmermann und H. J. Kagelmann.