Introduction
An implicit attitude refers to the hidden attitude that an individual may have towards something. It has been observed that most people have implicit attitudes towards people with disabilities.
Implicit attitudes
Discrimination of people with physical, emotional, social, and mental disabilities has mostly been as a result of the hidden cultural and social beliefs that given people might have against people with disabilities.
Most people have been socialized to believe that people with disabilities are unable to function as full members of the society. Discrimination against people with disabilities is therefore a result of the implicit attitudes by certain people in the society.
The Implicit Associated Test (IAT) has been used to measure the hidden beliefs of individuals towards people with disabilities. The test is computer based.
The test enables one to measure attitudes that are not consciously acknowledged and thus prevents false reporting of the attitudes related to social desirability.
The Implicit Associated Test that has been administered in certain communities is as shown below:
“Strongly prefers able persons to disabled persons.
Moderately prefers able persons to disabled persons.
Little preference towards able and disabled persons.
Slightly prefers disabled persons to able persons.
Moderately prefers disabled to able persons.
Strongly prefers disabled to able persons”.
The responses generated from the Implicit Associated Test are meant to enable the individuals to be aware of the implicit attitudes they show towards people with disabilities. In addition, the responses enable individuals to be sensitized about the nature of implicit attitudes that able people have towards people with disabilities.
Awareness, sensitization, and mobilization enhance capacity building on how to reduce the biasness that certain people have against people with disabilities.
It is recommended that biasness against people with disabilities should be avoided by all at all costs. This is because biasness against people with disabilities reduces equity and equality in issues of resource distribution and national development.
To avoid biasness against people with disabilities, individuals should extend social interaction with people with disabilities in all contexts like at school, work place, at home or in the church.