Allies as Intermediaries: Strategies that Promote Hiring People with Intellectual Disabilities
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The current study explores the research-based stereotypes that exist toward individuals with intellectual disabilities (ID). Individuals with ID typically have significant limitations in both intellectual functioning and adaptive behavior, but many still have the ability to perform well in a variety of entry-level, low-skilled positions. Further, they are a growing proportion of the adult population with disabilities but have among the lowest employment rate. The current research focuses on the influence that allies can have on hiring managers when they consider individuals with ID for entry-level job positions. Using the Stereotype-Content Model (SCM; Fiske, Cuddy, Glick, & Xu, 2002) and theories regarding economic and normative language (Sonenshein, 2006), three ally strategies (stereotype reduction, making the business case, and making the moral case, respectively) are tested for their effectiveness. Results reveal that allies who use the moral case are particularly effective (relative to other strategies) in influencing ratings of hiring intentions and admiration. Results further reveal that perceptions of admiration partially mediate this relationship for the moral condition. The current field study extends previous research on target strategies by showing that remediation strategies can be effective when allies use them during selection. Additionally, this research illuminates the critical power that others can have in helping those with ID contribute effectively to the workplace.
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Nittrouer, Christine L.. "Allies as Intermediaries: Strategies that Promote Hiring People with Intellectual Disabilities." (2019) Diss., Rice University. https://hdl.handle.net/1911/105432.