Individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities: Do educators assign them a fully human status?

Abstract

The present research investigates the humanity attributions to individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD). In three studies, professional educators, who worked in day-care or community centers, were examined. Humanity attributions were assessed using emotion-based and trait-based measures. As expected, individuals with IDD were denied a fully human status: they were perceived as having more non-uniquely than uniquely human attributes. Furthermore, a lower human status was assigned to individuals with IDD in relation to educators. We also discovered that humanity attributions, but not attitudes, were related to approach/avoidance responses. Altogether, findings show the importance of considering humanity perceptions in the study of social relationships of individuals with IDD. Dehumanizing perceptions can explain the differential treatment these individuals face in various social settings.