title: [Effect of assassination attempts on Lafontaine and Schäuble on public opinion about psychiatric patients. Part 1: 1990 development].
abstract: In 1990 two assassination attempts against prominent German politicians were carried out by mentally ill persons. In the same year we conducted three representative surveys of the adult population of the FRG (old Länder and West Berlin) which allowed us to investigate the impact of both events on the attitude of the public towards the mentally ill. Already shortly after the first violent attack there was a marked increase of social distance, i.e. those questioned were less willing to have contact with a schizophrenic man. After the second assassination attempt the tendency to reject such a person increased again significantly. This applied to all forms of relationships studied. The increase of social distance is explained by the re-activation of the stereotype of the dangerous and unpredictable "insane" person.
authors.affiliation: Abteilung Psychiatrische Soziologie, Zentralinstitut für Seelische Gesundheit, Mannheim.
authors.forename: M C
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Angermeyer
authors.forename: C S
authors.initials: CS
authors.lastname: Siara
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000437:Alcoholism / Q000523:psychology / Q000534:rehabilitation; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000523:psychology / Q000534:rehabilitation; D005104:Expert Testimony / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence; D005260:Female; D005858:Germany; D006708:Homicide / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence / Q000523:psychology*; D006801:Humans; D007298:Insanity Defense; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000523:psychology* / Q000534:rehabilitation; D008875:Middle Aged; D011057:Politics; D012929:Psychological Distance; D011639:Public Opinion; D012563:Schizophrenia, Paranoid / Q000523:psychology* / Q000534:rehabilitation; D012928:Social Desirability; D013240:Stereotyping
vernacular_title: Auswirkungen der Attentate auf Lafontaine und Schäuble auf die Einstellung der Bevölkerung zu psychisch Kranken. Teil 1: Die Entwicklung im Jahr 1990.