Disability & Identity

Question 1

What are the two approaches of understanding disability in society?

Answer 1

The medical model
The social model

Question 2

What is the medical model?

Answer 2

• It sees disability as a medical problem, focusing on the limitations caused by the impairment.
• It leads to defining a disabled person by their disability, leading to a ‘victim blaming’ mentality where problems lies with the individual.

Question 3

Who discusses that disabled people are often socialised to see them self as victims?

Answer 3

Shakespeare

Question 4

What phrase does Shakespeare use to describe the impact of the medical model?

Answer 4

‘Victim mentality’

Question 5

What is the social model?

Answer 5

• It focuses on the social and physical barriers to inclusion that may exist, like the design of buildings and public spaces which denies access to those with mobility problems
• Society is the disabling factor

Question 6

How is disability arguably socially constructed?

Answer 6

The social model shows that it rests on assumptions of what is normal or abnormal.

Question 7

Why does Shakespeare say there are major obstacles in forming a positive disabled identity?

Answer 7

• They are socialised to see themself as inferior
• They are often isolated from one another
• There’s a lack of positive role models in public life, the media, or within immediate family

Question 8

What do interactionists say about the label ‘disabled’?

Answer 8

It carries a stigma that affects interactions, creating a ‘master status’. It transcends all other aspects of identity and becomes the defining characteristic.

Question 9

What proof is there that a master status may be true for the individual themself?

Answer 9

Gill, a polio survivor, said reconciling your identity as a disabled person is a common hurdle, as you have previously held those views towards others.

Question 10

Who discussed the vocab used to describe those with a disability?

Answer 10

Zola

Question 11

What does Zola, disabled through polio, say?

Answer 11

‘’The language we used to describe ourselves borrows from a discriminatory able bodied society’’

Question 12

What contributes to ‘learned helplessness’?

Answer 12

• Vocab used
• Segregated schooling

Question 13

What does Murugami discuss?

Answer 13

• A disabled person can construct a self identity that accepts their impairment but is independent from it.
• They see them self as a person first and their disability as just a characteristic.

Question 14

Who discusses the idea of being able to construct a self identify?

Answer 14

Muragami

Question 15

How has disability as an identity became more positive?

Answer 15

• Paralympics raise awareness of positive achievements
• Disability discrimination act was passed in 1995
• Requirements for buildings
• Ridley and the Scope UK campaign to try to eradicate the awkwardness around a disability