Disabling Prejudice
Disabling Prejudice
Abstract: Part of the goal of the International Paralympic Committee is to “touch the heart of all people for a more equitable society.” Images of athletes with permanent visible physical disabilities, it is thought by proponents of adaptive sports as well as marketers who use such athletes in campaigns, can change able-bodied people’ s impressions of all people with disabilities and their capabilities. We theorized that this occurs through parasocial contact and resultant changes of social identity. We tested this experimentally using a portrayal of an amputee sprinter and found evidence that viewing it could change viewers’ attitudes toward individuals with disabilities specifically through the emotional components of attitude.
Related Research
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Teaching Sports Media: Classroom Strategies for Getting Your Students in the GameWelch Suggs and Lauren Reichart Smith (eds.) Teaching Sports Media: Classroom Strategies for Getting Your Students in the Game. (2026) Bloomsbury. Overview: This practice-oriented guide equips instructors with proven strategies and activities for […]
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Congestion on the Pitch: Growth and Conflict in Georgia Youth SoccerWelch Suggs and Gabriella Etienne (Grady undergraduate), “Congestion on the Pitch: Growth and Conflict in Georgia Youth Soccer,” Journal of Policy History, in press. Abstract: This article uses youth soccer in Georgia, […]