The Social Model of Disability
The Social Model of Disability
According to the WHO, a staggering 1.3 billion people have a disability. This includes both physical and mental health conditions affecting an individual’s quality of life. A disabled person has to deal with challenges like inequity and negative attitudes to name just a couple of obstacles.
However, is this suffering all because of the burden of their disability? That’s precisely what we’ll explore in this article through the social model of disability.
What is the Social Model of Disability?
A medical model of disability sees people themselves as the source of their impairments. The social model of disability shows that a person's disability isn’t attributed to one’s impairment or difference to others. Instead, disability is created due to barriers constructed by society.
This terminology was coined by disabled academic, Mike Oliver, in 1983. Subsequenty, many initiatives and policies have been developed by disabled people.
Madeline Will— the former assistant secretary of education— explained the impact of society’s attitude by saying, “What causes the difficulties are the attitudes society has about being disabled, attitudes that make a disabled person embarrassed, insecure, uncomfortable, dependent. (1)
The social model of disability helps us recognise the barriers imposed by society. This approach to disability places encourages communities and the state to actively work towards removing physical barriers and other impediments to allow all people choice and control in life.
Examples of Social Model of Disability
Here are some examples of barriers that the social model of disability helps us recognise:
Inaccessible Infrastructure
This is one of the most fundamental barriers that make it hard for a disabled person to participate fully in society. For example, a wheelchair user wants to enter a building with stairs at its entrance. This barrier is found even in the most common public places, e.g., banks, restaurants, shops, etc.
According to the social model, the person’s legs aren’t the problem in this situation. Instead, it’s the building, which can (and should) be altered to add a wheelchair ramp.
Negative Stereotyping and Poor Understanding
The most discouraging barrier disabled people face is the negative attitude from other people. People often have an inferior opinion of a disabled person. This includes assuming they are incapable of basic things like having fun, relationships, children, etc.
The best way to overcome this barrier is to create solutions. For example, visually impaired people should be able to enjoy entertainment like movies and books. A way they can do that is if all movie theatres start keeping audio description devices. These places can also hire at least one employee knowing sign language for better communication with such individuals.
Non-Inclusive Opportunities
When it comes to opportunities like work, education, and independent housing, disabled people are often deemed ineligible. The social model of disability encourages the development of legislation and policies that make these opportunities inclusive.
For example, if a disabled candidate has the skills required for the job, they should be considered like other candidates. Rejections solely based on disablism should result in legal consequences for the hiring party.
How to Change People's Attitude towards Disabled People?
Social barriers can be reduced. This is demonstrated in a study conducted by Watch and colleagues in the Journal of Community & Applied Social Psychology, named “Changing negative attitudes towards persons with physical disabilities: an experimental intervention.” (2)
Here, three interventions were tested:
Cognitive intervention: Focused on informing people about physical disability and countering stereotypical concepts
Cognitive-Behavioural intervention: Focused on engaging in three different paralympic disciplines under disabled athletes’ instructions
No-intervention control: Focused on people who haven’t undergone any cognitive or behavioural intervention
The cognitive-behavioral intervention resulted in a positive change in attendants' attitudes. They were also tested after three months, and the positive effects remained evident.
Summary
The social model of disability provides a vital perspective into a disabled person’s life. It helps people recognise the socially-generated problems that disabled people face on a daily basis. In addition, many of these problems are necessities like work, education, access to public properties, etc. Once identified, relevant bodies can finally work on and remove these barriers.
Social Model of Disability FAQs
How do different cultures around the world apply or interpret the social model of disability in their policies and societal attitudes?
Different cultures integrate the social model of disability with varying degrees of success and emphasis in their policies and societal attitudes. In some countries, there's a strong focus on inclusivity and accessibility in public spaces and employment, driven by legislation. In others, traditional beliefs and stigma may slow the adoption of the social model, leading to disparities in how disabled individuals experience their communities and access support.
What specific strategies have successfully changed societal attitudes towards disabled people?
Successful strategies include widespread educational campaigns that challenge stereotypes, the inclusion of disability awareness in school curriculums, and media representation of disabled individuals in diverse roles. Advocacy and lobbying for legislative changes that ensure equal rights and opportunities have also been crucial. Moreover, empowering disabled individuals to lead these movements ensures the strategies reflect their actual needs and perspectives.
How do disabled individuals and their advocates work within the framework of the social model to address invisible disabilities, such as mental health issues, which might not be as easily recognised by society as physical disabilities?
Addressing invisible disabilities within the social model framework involves raising awareness about the broad spectrum of disability and challenging the notion that disabilities are only physical or visible. Advocates work to educate the public and policymakers about the impact of mental health issues and other invisible disabilities on daily living and access to services. This includes advocating for policies recognising and accommodating invisible disabilities in the workplace, education, and healthcare settings.
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References
Livneh, H. (2012). On the origins of negative attitudes toward people with disabilities. The Psychological and Social Impact of Physical Disability, supra note, 70.
Krahé, B., & Altwasser, C. (2006). Changing negative attitudes towards persons with physical disabilities: an experimental intervention. Journal of Community and Applied Social Psychology, 16(1), 59–69. https://doi.org/10.1002/casp.849
World Health Organization: WHO. (2023, March 7). Disability. https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/disability-and-health
