© Universität Bielefeld
Soziologie
Veröffentlicht am
16. Januar 2023
Kategorie:
Soziologie
New Study by Sebastian Sattler on Stigma in the Context of Disability published in Public Understanding of Science
Sample, M., Sattler, S., Racine, E., Boehlen, W. (2023): Brain-Computer Interfaces, Disability, and the Stigma of Refusal: A Factorial Vignette Study. Public Understanding of Science. (shared 1st authorship). doi.org/10.1177/09636625221141663s. ►LINK
Abstract
As
brain-computer interfaces are promoted as assistive devices, some
researchers worry that this promise to “restore” individuals worsens
stigma toward disabled people and fosters unrealistic expectations. In
three web-based survey experiments with vignettes, we tested how
refusing a brain-computer interface in the context of disability affects
cognitive (blame), emotional (anger), and behavioral (coercion)
stigmatizing attitudes (Experiment 1, N = 222) and whether the effect of a refusal is affected by the level of brain-computer interface functioning (Experiment 2, N = 620) or the risk of malfunctioning (Experiment 3, N = 620).
We found that refusing a brain-computer interface increased blame and
anger, while brain-computer interface functioning did change the effect
of a refusal. Higher risks of device malfunctioning partially reduced
stigmatizing attitudes and moderated the effect of refusal. This
suggests that information about disabled people who refuse a technology
can increase stigma toward them. This finding has serious implications
for brain-computer interface regulation, media coverage, and the
prevention of ableism.