Disability

• The Medical Model


  Sees disability as a medical problem, focusing on the limitations caused by impairments. This leads to disabled people being defined by their disability, leads to a 'victim blaming' mentality.
• Shakespeare (MM)


  As a result of the medical model, disabled people are socialised into seeing themselves as victims and blame their failures on being disabled
• The Social Model


  Focuses on the social and physical barriers to inclusion that may exist, such as the design of buildings and public spaces that deny access to those with mobility problems, or discriminatory attitudes and practices against those with disabilities.
• Shakespeare (SM)


  There are obstacles when achieving a positive identity, because they are socialised into being inferior and are pitied by society
• Scope UK


  2/3 People feel awkward talking to a disabled person. 43% don't know anyone who is disabled.
• Interactionist view


  The label 'disabled' carries a social stigma which affects all interactions between the disabled person and anyone they meet. It is therefore their master status.
• Zola


  Argues that the vocabulary used by people to describe the disabled (e.g. de-formed, dis-eased) leads to learned helplessness (internalisation of the idea that they are incapable) due to its negative connotations.
• Keating and Santuzzi


  Argue that people downplay their disability because of fear of rejection, which leads to lower self-esteem.
• Hunt


  Argues that the media portrays disabled people as pathetic or as burdens
• Murugami


  A disabled person has the ability to construct a self-identity that accepts their impairment and become independent of it. They therefore see themselves as people first, and their disability as a characteristic. The blame should be directed at society rather than the impairment.
• Watson


  Illustrates Murugami's point by stating: "I know this is going to sound very strange to you, but I don't see myself as a disabled person"
• How have attitudes changed?

  Discrimination Act (1995), Equality Act (2010)
• Gill


  She caught polio and became disabled as a result of it. "When you become a member of a group that you have previously felt fear and pity form you can't help but turn those feelings on yourself."