Abstract
The present study examined how gender and disability stereotypes interact to influence social judgments. We predicted that people would judge a woman with physical disability more negatively than a woman with intellectual disability, but that there would be a less pronounced difference for judgments of men with physical and intellectual disability. Participants (N = 173) read short descriptions of a male or female character who was physically or intellectually disabled. They evaluated the character’s warmth and competence and reported how much social distance they wanted from the character. Contrary to our expectations, participants reported significantly less desire for social distance from physically disabled women than intellectually disabled women. As predicted, evaluations of men were not affected by the type of disability the target character possessed.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Abrams, D., Jackson, D., & St. Claire, L. (1990). Social identity and the handicapping functions of stereotypes: children’s understanding of mental and physical handicap. Human Relations, 43, 1085–1098. doi:10.1177/001872679004301103.
Bem, S. (1974). The measurement of psychological androgyny. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 42, 155–162. doi:10.1037/h0036215.
Blaine, B. E. (2013). Understanding the psychology of diversity (2nd ed.). Thousand Oaks: Sage Publications.
Bogardu, E. S. (1932). Social distance scale. Sociology and Social Research, 17, 265–271.
Campbell, L., & Wilbur, C. J. (2009). Are the traits we prefer in potential mates the traits they prefer in themselves? An analysis of sex differences in the self-concept. Self and Identity, 8, 418–446. doi:10.1080/15298860802505434.
U.S. Census Bureau. (2008). Current Population Report on Americans with Disabilities:2005. Retrieved from https://www.census.gov/prod/2008pubs/p70-117.pdf.
Chen, R. K., Brodwin, M. G., Cardoso, E., & Chan, F. (2007). Attitudes toward people in with disabilities in the social context of dating and marriage: a comparison of American, Taiwanese, and Singaporean college students. Journal of Rehabilitation, 68, 5–11.
Cole, E. R. (2009). Intersectionality and research in psychology. American Psychologist, 64, 170–180. doi:10.1037/a0014564.
Diekman, A. B., & Eagly, A. H. (2000). Stereotypes as dynamic constructs: women and men of the past, present, and future. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 26, 1171–1188. doi:10.1177/0146167200262001.
Dion, K., Berscheid, E., & Walster, E. (1972). What is beautiful is good. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 24, 285–290. doi:10.1016/0022-1031(71)90065-5.
Eckes, T. (2002). Paternalistic and envious gender stereotypes: testing predictions from the stereotype content model. Sex Roles, 47, 99–114. doi:10.1023/A:1021020920715.
Fine, M., & Asch, A. (1984). Disabled women: sexism without the pedestal. In women and disability: the double handicap. Eds. M.J. Deegan and N.A. Brooks. Transaction Publishers.
Fiske, S. T., Cuddy, A. J. C., Glick, P., & Xu, J. (2002). A model of (often mixed) stereotype content: competence and warmth respectively follow from perceived status and competition. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 82, 878–902. doi:10.1037//0022-3514.82.6.878.
Frazier, P. A., Tix, A. P., & Barron, K. E. (2004). Testing moderator and mediator effects in counseling psychology research. Journal of Counseling Psychology, 51, 115–134. doi:10.1037/0022-0167.51.1.115.
Fredrickson, B. L., & Roberts, T. (1997). Objectification theory: toward understanding women’s lived experiences and mental health risks. Psychology of Women Quarterly, 21, 173–206. doi:10.1111/j.1471-6402.1997.tb00108.x.
Hanna, W. J., & Rogovsky, B. (1991). Women with disabilities: two handicaps plus. Disability Handicap and Society, 6, 49–63.
Hardin, M., & Preston, A. (2001). Inclusion of disability issues in news reporting textbooks. Journalism and Mass Communication Educator, 56(2), 43–54.
Harth, R. (1971). Attitudes toward minority groups as a construct in assessing attitudes toward the mentally retarded. Education and Training in Mental Retardation, 6, 142–147.
Hill, M. S., & Fischer, A. R. (2008). Examining objectification theory: lesbian and heterosexual women’s experiences with sexual- and self-objectification. The Counseling Psychologist, 36, 745–776. doi:10.1177/0011000007301669.
Howland, C. A., & Rintala, D. H. (2001). Dating behaviors of women with physical disabilities. Sexuality and Disability, 19, 41–70.
Jones, G. E., & Stone, D. L. (1995). Perceived discomfort associated with working with persons with disabilities. Perceptual and Motor Skills, 81, 911–919.
Kozee, H. B., & Tylka, T. L. (2006). A test of objectification theory with lesbian women. Psychology of Women Quarterly, 30, 348–357. doi:10.1111/j.1471-6402.2006.00310.x.
Leasher, M. K., Miller, C. E., & Gooden, M. P. (2009). Rater effects and attitudinal barriers affecting people with disabilities in personnel selection. Journal of Applied Social Psychology, 39, 2236–2274.
Lloyd, M. (1992). Does she boil eggs? Toward a feminist model of disability. Disability Handicap and Society, 7, 207–221.
Louvet, E. (2007). Social judgments toward job applicants with disabilities: perception of personal qualities and competencies. Rehabilitation Psychology, 52, 297–303. doi:10.1037/0090-5550.52.3.297.
Louvet, E., Rohmer, O., & Dubois, N. (2009). Social judgment of people with disability in a workplace: how to make a good impression on employers. Swiss Journal of Psychology, 68, 153–159.
Novak, J., Feyes, K. J., & Christensen, K. A. (2011). Application of intergroup contact theory to the integrated workplace: setting the stage for inclusion. Journal of Vocational Rehabilitation, 35, 211–226. doi:10.3233/JVR-2011-0573.
Nowicki, E. A. (2006). A cross-sectional multivariate analysis of children’s attitudes toward disabilities. Journal of Intellectual Disability Research, 50, 335–348.
Oswald, D. L., & Lindstedt, K. (2006). The content and function of gender stereotypes: an exploratory investigation. Sex Roles, 54, 447–458. doi:10.1007/s11199-006-9026-y.
Ouellette-Kuntz, H., Burge, P., Brown, H. K., & Arsenault, E. (2010). Public attitudes towards individuals with intellectual disability as measured by the concept of social distance. Journal of Applied Research in Intellectual Disabilities, 23, 132–142. doi:10.1111/j.1468-3148.2009.00514.x.
Park, J. H., Faulkner, J., & Schaller, M. (2003). Evolved disease avoidance processes and contemporary anti-social behavior: prejudicial attitudes and avoidance of people with physical disabilities. Journal of Nonverbal Behavior, 27, 65–87.
Phillips, M. J. (1990). Damaged goods: oral narratives of the experience of disability in American culture. Social Science and Medicine, 30, 849–857.
Regan, P. C., & Berscheid, E. (1997). Gender differences in characteristics desired in a potential sexual and marriage partner. Journal of Psychology and Human Sexuality, 9, 25–37. doi:10.1300/J056v09n01_02.
Rohmer, O., & Louvet, E. (2009). Describing persons with disability: salience of disability, gender, and ethnicity. Rehabilitation Psychology, 54, 76–82.
Rohmer, O., & Louvet, E. (2012). Implicit measures of the stereotype content associated with disability. British Journal of Social Psychology, 51, 732–740.
Saxton, M., & Howe, F. (Eds.). (1988). With wings: an anthology of literature by women with disabilities. London: Virago Press.
Shapiro, J. R., & Neuberg, S. L. (2008). When do the stigmatized stigmatize? The ironic effects of being accountable to (perceived) majority group prejudice-expression norms. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 95, 877–898.
Sheldon, A. (2004). Women and disability. In J. Swain, S. French, C. Barnes, & C. Thomas (Eds.), Disabling barriers—enabling environments. London: Sage.
Soder, M. (1990). Prejudice or ambivalence? Attitudes toward persons with disabilities. Disability Handicap and Society, 5, 227–241.
Stamou, A. G., & Padeliadu, S. (2009). Discourses of disability by teacher candidates: a critical discourse analysis of written responses to a disability simulation. Journal of Applied Social Psychology, 39, 509–540.
Toriello, P. J., Leierer, S. J., Sheaffer, B. L., & Cubero, C. G. (2007). Threat and visibility impact of disabilities and other conditions on social distance preferences. Rehabilition Education, 21, 159–170.
Towler, A. J., & Schneider, D. J. (2005). Distinctions among stigmatized groups. Journal of Applied Social Psychology, 35, 1–14.
Van Kraayenoord, C. (2002). The media’s portrayal of mothers with disabilities. International Journal of Disability, Development and Education, 49(3), 221–224. doi:10.1080/1034912022000007252.
Yazbeck, M., McVilly, K., & Parmenter, T. R. (2004). Attitudes toward people with intellectual disabilities: an Australian perspective. Journal of Disability Policy Studies, 15, 97–111.
Young, R., Gore, N., & McCarthy, M. (2012). Staff attitudes toward sexuality in relation to gender of people with intellectual disability: a qualitative study. Journal of Intellectual and Developmental Disability, 37, 343–347.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Coleman, J.M., Brunell, A.B. & Haugen, I.M. Multiple Forms of Prejudice: How Gender and Disability Stereotypes Influence Judgments of Disabled Women and Men. Curr Psychol 34, 177–189 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12144-014-9250-5
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12144-014-9250-5