Prejudice or Ambivalence? Attitudes Toward Persons with Disabilities

Attitudes toward persons with disabilities are often assumed to be negative and prejudiced. This assumption is shared by researchers with different theoretical perspectives and is usually based on quantitative empirical studies. The assumption of attitudes as prejudiced is questioned in this article. Based on a review of attitude research the argument is developed that most research is based on a simplified notion of attitudes and an accompanying simplistic methodological approach. Given the limitations of theory and methods, some conclusions can nonetheless be drawn about the content of attitudes toward persons with disabilities. An interpretation in terms of prejudice does not, however, fit these data very well. Instead an interpretation in terms of ambivalence is suggested, where reactions toward persons with disabilities are seen as a result of conflicting values. Such an interpretation can help to free attitude research from its present focus on the structure of thinking, rather than content, and help trace the linkage between individual responses and societal ideologies.