Changing Attitudes toward Handicapped Persons: A Review and Analysis of Research

Research on the modification of attitudes toward disabled persons is reviewed in an attempt to delincate factors common to successful interventions, important factors in reducing negative or stereotypic attitudes toward handicapped persons appear to include consideration for the status of the handicapped person in relation to the nonhandicapped target population, allowance for sanctioned staring and other methods of discomfort reduction on the part of the nondisabled, and avoidance of inadvertent reinforcement of stereotypes. Several theoretical constructs are offered as explanations for successful interventions. These include a Lewinian model of attitude change, information processing and presenter credibility considerations, novel stimulus and discomfort reduction hypotheses, and the concept of empathic development. Practical applications of research implications are discussed, and suggestions for future research are given.