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Patronizing Speech In Interability Communication Toward People With Cognitive Disabilities, Vann Morris

Communication Theses

Some people without disabilities may use patronizing speech when they talk to people with cognitive disabilities. This study asked college-aged students without disabilities to evaluate patronizing speech toward people with cognitive disabilities. They randomly read either one of two vignettes; in one vignette a cashier with no disability used patronizing speech toward a customer with a cognitive disability, and in the other vignette a cashier with no disability used nonpatronizing speech toward a customer with a cognitive disability. The participants evaluated the patronizing speech as being significantly less professional, appropriate, and common than the nonpatronizing speech. They rated the cashier …