Attitudes in Context

Abstract

The stereotypical media coverage of persons with physical disabilities (PWDs) has been repeatedly criticized, because biased depictions of PWDs can negatively affect nondisabled recipients’ attitudinal evaluations of PWDs. However, it remains unclear how the superordinate context of disability, which is frequently used by journalists to depict PWDs in the media – or other contexts (e.g., sports) – affect recipients’ attitudes toward those PWDs portrayed in the media. Potential context effects were analyzed with the help of two experiments (between-subjects design). In Study 1, nondisabled participants (N = 97) were randomly assigned to four groups. The context was manipulated by subliminally (30 ms) exposing participants to different textual primes of disability, sports, politics, and no prime (control group). Participants subsequently evaluated a visually depicted PWD (arm amputation). In Study 2, nondisabled participants (N = 63) were randomly assigned to three groups, and they read an illustrated print article (the same picture as in Study 1 was used). The context was manipulated with the help of specific news cues (disability, sports, politics), while the rest of the article remained unchanged. In both studies, the context of disability significantly lowered participants’ evaluations of the PWD. In contrast, sports – in both studies – had a systematically positive impact on participants’ attitudes toward the PWD. Furthermore, the general acceptance of PWDs in society was perceived to be more positive with sports cues in Study 2. Implications for the media coverage of PWDs are discussed.