Physical Disability: a Primary Category?
Type de matériel :
21
The purpose of our research is to explore the extent to which disability is important in social categorization process. Data were collected through two experimental studies based on a similar paradigm: Participants (with and without disability) had to describe targets who vary in their memberships in different social categories: disability, gender and ethnicity. Targets with disability were presented in a wheelchair. In the second study, “able-bodied” targets were presented on a bike. In accordance with our hypothesis, results show that disability is the most salient information in person perception, even more salient than gender or ethnicity. By way of contrast, the information “able-bodied” is never relevant for the observer. Consequently, “able-bodied” targets are more likely to be described with regard to their gender and ethnicity than targets with physical disability. The important salience of disability in social categorization could be explained by social factors referring to social norms. Disability is so different from “normal”, that this characteristic may be sufficient to describe a person.
Réseaux sociaux