Implicit and Explicit Attitudes Toward Those with Intellectual Disabilities in Romantic Relationships: Impacts of Personhood Perception
2023-02-27
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Implicit and Explicit Attitudes Toward Those with Intellectual Disabilities in Romantic Relationships: Impacts of Personhood Perception
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2023-02-27
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Abstract
Recent mixed reports of positive and negative explicit attitudes toward those with intellectual
disabilities (ID) have researchers questioning the impacts of socially desirable responding. This
justifies the importance of studying implicit attitudes, generally reported as more negative than
explicit attitudes. Despite existing literature on implicit attitudes toward those with ID, no studies
have assessed implicit attitudes toward mixed-sex couples with ID due to the absence of physical
markers that would otherwise aid ID detection. One exception, however, are the distinct facial
features existent in people with Down Syndrome (DS), with which implicit attitudes were
explored. Personhood perception (i.e., whether those with DS are just as ‘human’ as those
without), was also measured, as personhood perception has been suggested to lower as a function
of greater ID severity. Thus, the current study investigated differences in implicit and explicit
attitudes toward mixed-sex couples with and without DS, impacts of socially desirable
responding, and how perceptions of personhood can account for variations in these attitudes.
Young adults (N = 261) were recruited and instructed to Implicit Association Test (IAT) that
assessed implicit attitudes. Meanwhile, measures of explicit attitudes, socially desirable
responding, and personhood perception were assessed through online questionnaires. Results
revealed a slight implicit preference for those without DS over those with DS (DIAT = -0.20) and
implicit measures depicted more bias than did explicit measures. However, social desirability did
not significantly moderate the relationship between explicit and implicit attitudes. Nevertheless,
perceptions of personhood were positively correlated with both implicit and explicit attitudes.
Results from this study can have important implications for personhood-centered interventions
that could aim to empower, reduce stigma, and promote increased autonomy for those with any
ID (including DS) wanting to engage in a romantic relationship.
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A Plan B Project submitted to the faculty of the University of Minnesota Duluth by Julia M. Record in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the Master of Arts, February 27, 2023. This item has been modified from the original to redact the signature present.
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Record, Julia M. (2023). Implicit and Explicit Attitudes Toward Those with Intellectual Disabilities in Romantic Relationships: Impacts of Personhood Perception. Retrieved from the University Digital Conservancy, https://hdl.handle.net/11299/253198.
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