Studies of Attitudes Toward the Handicapped: The Need for a New Direction

摘要: Like blacks and women, the handicapped can be viewed as a minority group that has been discriminated against; common stereotypes attributing dependency, sadness, isolation reduce role expectations lead to restrictions of their behaviors opportunities. There are three levels attitudes toward handicapped: peer groups, professionals general public. Here I review attitude literature point out problem areas including ambiguity object concept “contact,” limited respondent pool, others. make suggestions for tapping multidimensionality handicapping conditions, standardizing ”contrast,” avoiding stereotyping produced by labels. emphasize importance contextual effects because subject institutionalized patterns behavior definitions situation within structural framework society.