Cultural stereotypes of disabled and non-disabled men and women: consensus for global category representations and diagnostic domains.
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.
Nario-Redmond
Michelle R
MR
Reed College, Portland, Oregon, USA. nariomr@hiram.edu
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D003431:Cross-Cultural Comparison; D006233:Persons with Disabilities / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D005783:Gender Identity; D006801:Humans; D007206:Individuality; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010552:Personality Assessment; D011287:Prejudice; D012928:Social Desirability; D013240:Stereotyping; D055815:Young Adult