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Ableism differs by disability, gender and social context: Evidence from vignette experiments
Shane Timmons1,2, Frances McGinnity1,3, Eamonn Carroll1
1Economic and Social Research Institute, Dublin, Ireland.
The British Journal of Social Psychology
|November 16, 2023
Summary
Ableism, prejudice against disabled people, varies based on disability type, gender, and social context. This study reveals ableism is not a general attitude but context-dependent, impacting perceptions of disabled individuals.
Area of Science:
- Social Psychology
- Disability Studies
- Sociology
Background:
- Prejudice and discrimination against disabled individuals, known as ableism, has often been treated as a uniform attitude.
- This overlooks the significant influence of social context on how ableism is expressed.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the differential manifestations of ableism.
- To examine how disability type, individual's gender, and social context interact to shape ableism.
Main Methods:
- A nationally representative sample of 2000 adults participated.
- Participants evaluated vignettes depicting disabled individuals in various scenarios (employment, relationships).
- Vignettes were manipulated for disability type, presence of disability, and the individual's gender.
Main Results:
- Ableism was evident for certain conditions (e.g., autism) but not others (e.g., spine disorder).
- A disability-gender intersectionality effect emerged in relationship judgments: physically disabled women faced penalties.
- No significant ableism or intersectionality was found in contexts like refusing low-paid work or for intellectual disabilities in relationships.
Conclusions:
- Ableism is not a monolithic attitude but is contingent on the specific nature of the disability.
- Gender and social context significantly moderate the expression and perception of ableism.
- Previous research may have oversimplified ableism by not accounting for these crucial contextual factors.
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