Organization/ Author
Michelle R. Nario-Redmond
While multiple definitions help frame the scope of the concept, in the present volume, ableism is simply defined as prejudice and discrimination toward individuals simply because they are classified as disabled – regardless of whether their impairments are physical or mental, visible or invisible. In the field of social psychology, prejudice is traditionally conceptualized in terms of three related components. These are the A, B, Cs of ableism: • Affective emotions or attitudinal reactions, • Behavioral actions/practices, and • Cognitive beliefs/stereotypes that go beyond general negativity. To illustrate how this works at the interpersonal level, imagine meeting some-one with a disability: if feelings of disgust or pity emerge (affect), one may offer to help or simply avoid interacting (behavior) – especially if one believes the per-son with a disability needs assistance or can’t think clearly (cognition). Ableism can operate at multiple levels affecting personal self‐perceptions, interpersonal interactions, and intergroup relations. Like other prejudices, there are both individual and institutionalized forms of ableism and discrimination as well.
Link / DOI / ISBN: DOI:10.1002/9781119142140
Page#: 6
Document Type: Book
Tags: Scholarly | Educational
Country: USA
Year: 2019
UCLA Link: https://search.library.ucla.edu/permalink/01UCS_LAL/17p22dp/alma9914848507606531
Bogart, Kathleen R. and Dunn, Dana S.
[W]e define ableism as stereotyping, prejudice, discrimination, and social oppression toward people with disabilities—the largest minority group in the United States. People with disabilities are broadly defined as those who have conditions that are commonly perceived to be disabilities by the general public, including physical, sensory, and intellectual disabilities, in addition to invisible disabilities, chronic health conditions, psychiatric conditions, and others.
Link / DOI / ISBN: DOI: 10.1111/josi.12354
Page#: 650
Document Type: Journal Article
Tags: Scholarly | Educational
Country: USA
Year: 2019
UCLA Link: https://search.library.ucla.edu/permalink/01UCS_LAL/192ecse/cdi_proquest_journals_2295332265
Access Living
Ableism is the discrimination of and social prejudice against people with disabilities based on the belief that typical abilities are superior. At its heart, ableism is rooted in the assumption that disabled people require ‘fixing’ and defines people by their disability. Like racism and sexism, ableism classifies entire groups of people as ‘less than,’ and includes harmful stereotypes, misconceptions, and generalizations of people with disabilities.
Link / DOI / ISBN: https://www.accessliving.org/newsroom/blog/ableism-101/
Document Type: Website
Tags: Advocacy | Nonprofit
Country: USA
Year: 2019
Center for Disability Rights
Ableism is a set of beliefs or practices that devalue and discriminate against people with physical, intellectual, or psychiatric disabilities and often rests on the assumption that disabled people need to be ‘fixed’ in one form or the other. Ableism is intertwined in our culture, due to many limiting beliefs about what disability does or does not mean, how able-bodied people learn to treat people with disabilities and how we are often not included at the table for key decisions.
Link / DOI / ISBN: https://cdrnys.org/blog/uncategorized/ableism/
Document Type: Website
Tags: Advocacy | Nonprofit
Country: USA
Year: 2016
Dunn, Dana S., American Psychological Association
Why do nondisabled people tend to hold negative attitudes toward disability and disabled persons? Ableism—prejudice and discrimination aimed at disabled people, often with a patronizing desire to “cure” their disability and make them “normal”—is one explanation. Ableism, either subtly or directly, portrays individuals who are being defined by their disabilities as inherently inferior to nondisabled people. Factors that characterize and contribute to ableism include: * Anxiety in unstructured social encounters, where nondisabled behave awkwardly around disabled people. * Social and cultural conditioning, as well as norms (e.g., “people who are familiar, similar to me are good”). * Familiar responses toward minorities, so that disabled people are marginalized like other groups due to their race, religion, ethnicity, sexual orientation and so on. * Fear of death thoughts occur when nondisabled people encounter people with mobility issues, physical function loss, or missing body parts (e.g., an amputation). * Gender and personality factors—women and people with higher educational levels are more positive towards disability than men or individuals with less education. * Hierarchical attitudes toward disability, where, quite simply but erroneously, some disabilities (e.g., physical ones) are viewed as more acceptable than others (e.g., mental or intellectual disabilities). * Incorrect and offensive moral beliefs about disability, while outdated, still occur, so that a disability implies punishment for sins or judgment on an individual or family. * Various other disability-related factors, including severity, visibility, perceived contagiousness, and predictability (e.g., temporary disabilities are more favorable than permanent ones). Some nondisabled people have conflicted attitudes, where they amplify their responses towards disabled people (e.g., saying nice things but talking too quickly and loudly) while also displaying discomfort (e.g., backing away rather than leaning in). And nondisabled people may hold both negative (e.g., disgust) and positive (e.g., empathy) reactions towards disability, which fluctuate but are noticed by the disabled person. Nondisabled people may express explicitly favorable beliefs and feelings regarding disability while still harboring automatic, nonconscious, and decidedly negative (implicit) attitudes. They remain unaware that their implicit attitudes affect their behavior toward disabled persons, overriding any positivity tied to their explicit attitudes.
Link / DOI / ISBN: https://www.apa.org/ed/precollege/psychology-teacher-network/introductory-psychology/ableism-negative-reactions-disability
Document Type: Website
Tags: Scholarly | Educational
Country: USA
Year: 2021
Chapman, Kelsey, Dixon, Angel, Kendall, Elizabeth, Kelly, Katie; People with Disability Australia
Ableism and disablism both refer to types of disability discrimination. The nuance between the two words can cause confusion but are important for acknowledging, detecting, and dismantling the types of barriers people with disability encounter. // Ableism is discrimination that favours “able-bodied” people, or people without disability. Ableism prioritises the needs of people without disability. A building designed without a ramp or a lift for people who require them, a lack of captions for a meeting, and stadiums without low-sensory spaces are all examples of ableism. // Disablism is the inherent belief that people with disability are inferior to those without disability. It is discrimination against people with disability, like those shared in the Royal Commission into Violence, Abuse, Neglect and Exploitation of People with Disability. Disablism can be a more direct, conscious act of discrimination and abuse. Using disability slurs, ignoring someone, or speaking in a patronising way are common examples.
Link / DOI / ISBN: https://pwd.org.au/ableism-and-disablism/
Document Type: Website
Tags: Scholarly | Advocacy | Nonprofit
Country: Australia
Year: 2023
Royal Commission into Violence, Abuse, Neglect and Exploitation of People with Disability.
Ableism refers to expectations about typical body and cognitive abilities, and the disadvantage people experience when their bodies and functioning capacities are seen as ‘abnormal’. For example, when a teacher assumes a child with disability cannot participate in a maths lesson and gives them colouring tasks instead. // Paternalism supports the belief that people with disability should not make their own decisions. It refers to the loss of independence and violence of powerlessness experienced by many people with disability. For example, when a doctor does not speak to a patient with disability but addresses their parents or supporters instead.
Link / DOI / ISBN: ISBN 978-0-6457941-6-8
Page Number: 4
Document Type: Report
Tags: Governmental | Advocacy
Country: Australia
Year: 2023
Oregon Department of Education
Ableism is a form of systemic oppression, meaning it gives unearned advantages to people who do not experience the world as disabled. This system results in: (a) barriers that people with disabilities uniquely face when trying to navigate the world and (b) unfair treatment and discrimination against people with disabilities. Ableism suggests that some abilities are “normal” or “better,” and ranks people’s worth based on their abilities. As two forms of discrimination that can often overlap, ableism and racism are deeply connected, creating even more challenges for people who are both racial minorities and have disabilities. This concept, known as intersectional oppression, means that the discrimination is not just added together, but multiplies, resulting in unique problems. // Ableism’s intersection with other systems of oppression — like racism, sexism, and classism — make the experience of people subjected to multiple systems of oppression at the same time more complex and severe, especially when it comes to discipline. For example, a teacher may misinterpret a symptom of a student’s disability (e.g., difficulty focusing due to ADHD) as a behavioral issue. Combined with racial biases that stereotype Black students as being more “disruptive,” this bias could lead to this student being unfairly disciplined more frequently and more harshly than their peers. Not only does this unjustly punish the student because of their race and disability, but it also disrupts their education. Frequent suspensions or expulsions mean the student misses out on valuable learning time, which can lead to them falling behind academically. This one example is meant to illustrate how the intersection of ableism and racism can significantly compound a student’s negative educational experience, but racism and ableism show up in many ways in schools. // Ableism is systemic, and can manifest in overt or subtle ways. Subtle ableism, sometimes referred to as “casual” or “unconscious” ableism, involves indirect, often unnoticed actions or behaviors that marginalize or discriminate against individuals with disabilities. Unlike overt ableism, which is blatant and intentional, subtle ableism is often unintentional and may even be perpetrated by individuals who believe they are allies to the disability community.
Link / DOI / ISBN: https://www.oregon.gov/ode/students-and-family/SpecialEducation/publications/Documents/informalremovals/understandingableisminschools.pdf
Page Number: 1
Document Type: Report
Tags: Educational | Governmental
Country: USA
Year: 2023
National Council of & for People with Disabilities
Ableism is the system of beliefs, processes and practices that privilege non-disabled persons to the disadvantage and exclusion of persons with disabilities. Simply put, ableism hinges on the perception that nondisabled people are more valuable than persons with disabilities.
Link / DOI / ISBN: https://ncpd.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/ncpd-gbv-6-de-rooting-ableism.pdf
Page Number: 1
Document Type: Report
Tags: Educational | Advocacy | Nonprofit
Country: South Africa
Year: 2023
Law Commission of Ontario
“Ableism” is a belief system, analogous to racism, sexism, or ageism, that sees persons with disabilities as being less worthy of respect and consideration, less able to contribute and participate, and of less inherent value than others. Ableism may be conscious or unconscious, and may be embedded in institutions, systems or the broader culture of a society. Because attitudes and stereotypes may take different forms with different disabilities, ableism may manifest differently with respect to different types of disabilities, such as mental health, sensory or intellectual disabilities. // Ableism may manifest in negative attitudes towards persons with disabilities, discomfort in their presence and efforts to avoid them. These types of negative attitudes may have profound effects on the lives of persons with disabilities, not only in their social experiences, but in efforts to find and maintain paid employment, obtain and use services, and find adequate housing. Negative attitudes and stigma associated with persons with disabilities may create significant barriers to equality, dignity and participation, perhaps greater barriers than the actual impairment itself. These attitudes may affect the development and implementation of laws and policies. An example is the persistent use of zoning bylaws and definitions to exclude supportive housing for persons with psychiatric or intellectual disabilities from particular neighbourhoods, or to create additional barriers and requirements in the approval processes.
Link / DOI / ISBN: 978-1-926661-54-4
Page Number: 2
Document Type: Report
Tags: Scholarly | Governmental | Advocacy
Country: Canada
Year: 2012