Societal Conceptualization of Mental Retardation: A Contrived Darkness.
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| Title: | Societal Conceptualization of Mental Retardation: A Contrived Darkness. |
|---|---|
| Language: | English |
| Authors: | Philips, Pamela G. |
| Peer Reviewed: | N |
| Page Count: | 29 |
| Publication Date: | 1992 |
| Document Type: | Information Analyses |
| Descriptors: | Attitude Change, Decision Making, Disability Discrimination, Human Services, Labeling (of Persons), Mental Retardation, Normalization (Handicapped), Personal Autonomy, Quality of Life, Social Attitudes, Social Bias, Social Change, Social Integration |
| Geographic Terms: | U.S.; Virginia |
| Abstract: | This paper explores the detrimental effects that assumptions and labels have caused people with mental retardation and examines the concept of changing societal attitudes. The paper points out that: mental retardation has often been regarded not simply as one aspect of a person's life, but as engulfing the person's whole life and becoming that person's identity; normalization extends to people with disabilities the right to be involved in the same situations and circumstances as people without disabilities; people with and without mental retardation feel more satisfaction with their lives when they are able to make more of their own decisions about their lives; people with mental retardation need a system which will naturally support them in efforts to become autonomous; society often gives lip service to a new plan for change but then has trouble when the time comes for actual change to occur; it is only when society changes its thinking about mental retardation that people with mental retardation will be accepted; each person must judge others according to their actions and not their labels; and diversity instead of conformity should be emphasized. When this happens, society will have truly banished the darkness it created and replaced it with the light of acceptance and recognition. (Contains 33 references.) (JDD) |
| Journal Code: | RIEDEC1993 |
| Entry Date: | 1993 |
| Accession Number: | ED359736 |
| Database: | ERIC |
| FullText | Text: Availability: 0 CustomLinks: – Url: https://eric.ed.gov/contentdelivery/servlet/ERICServlet?accno=ED359736 Name: ERIC Full Text Category: fullText Text: Full Text from ERIC |
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| Items | – Name: Title Label: Title Group: Ti Data: Societal Conceptualization of Mental Retardation: A Contrived Darkness. – Name: Language Label: Language Group: Lang Data: English – Name: Author Label: Authors Group: Au Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Philips%2C+Pamela+G%2E%22">Philips, Pamela G.</searchLink> – Name: PeerReviewed Label: Peer Reviewed Group: SrcInfo Data: N – Name: Pages Label: Page Count Group: Src Data: 29 – Name: DatePubCY Label: Publication Date Group: Date Data: 1992 – Name: TypeDocument Label: Document Type Group: TypDoc Data: Information Analyses – Name: Subject Label: Descriptors Group: Su Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Attitude+Change%22">Attitude Change</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Decision+Making%22">Decision Making</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Disability+Discrimination%22">Disability Discrimination</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Human+Services%22">Human Services</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Labeling+%28of+Persons%29%22">Labeling (of Persons)</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Mental+Retardation%22">Mental Retardation</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Normalization+%28Handicapped%29%22">Normalization (Handicapped)</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Personal+Autonomy%22">Personal Autonomy</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Quality+of+Life%22">Quality of Life</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Social+Attitudes%22">Social Attitudes</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Social+Bias%22">Social Bias</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Social+Change%22">Social Change</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Social+Integration%22">Social Integration</searchLink> – Name: Subject Label: Geographic Terms Group: Su Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22U%2ES%2E%3B+Virginia%22">U.S.; Virginia</searchLink> – Name: Abstract Label: Abstract Group: Ab Data: This paper explores the detrimental effects that assumptions and labels have caused people with mental retardation and examines the concept of changing societal attitudes. The paper points out that: mental retardation has often been regarded not simply as one aspect of a person's life, but as engulfing the person's whole life and becoming that person's identity; normalization extends to people with disabilities the right to be involved in the same situations and circumstances as people without disabilities; people with and without mental retardation feel more satisfaction with their lives when they are able to make more of their own decisions about their lives; people with mental retardation need a system which will naturally support them in efforts to become autonomous; society often gives lip service to a new plan for change but then has trouble when the time comes for actual change to occur; it is only when society changes its thinking about mental retardation that people with mental retardation will be accepted; each person must judge others according to their actions and not their labels; and diversity instead of conformity should be emphasized. When this happens, society will have truly banished the darkness it created and replaced it with the light of acceptance and recognition. (Contains 33 references.) (JDD) – Name: CodeSource Label: Journal Code Group: SrcInfo Data: <searchLink fieldCode="JC" term="%22RIEDEC1993%22">RIEDEC1993</searchLink> – Name: DateEntry Label: Entry Date Group: Date Data: 1993 – Name: AN Label: Accession Number Group: ID Data: ED359736 |
| PLink | https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=eric&AN=ED359736 |
| RecordInfo | BibRecord: BibEntity: Languages: – Text: English PhysicalDescription: Pagination: PageCount: 29 Subjects: – SubjectFull: Attitude Change Type: general – SubjectFull: Decision Making Type: general – SubjectFull: Disability Discrimination Type: general – SubjectFull: Human Services Type: general – SubjectFull: Labeling (of Persons) Type: general – SubjectFull: Mental Retardation Type: general – SubjectFull: Normalization (Handicapped) Type: general – SubjectFull: Personal Autonomy Type: general – SubjectFull: Quality of Life Type: general – SubjectFull: Social Attitudes Type: general – SubjectFull: Social Bias Type: general – SubjectFull: Social Change Type: general – SubjectFull: Social Integration Type: general – SubjectFull: U.S.; Virginia Type: general Titles: – TitleFull: Societal Conceptualization of Mental Retardation: A Contrived Darkness. Type: main BibRelationships: HasContributorRelationships: – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: Philips, Pamela G. IsPartOfRelationships: – BibEntity: Dates: – D: 01 M: 01 Type: published Y: 1992 |
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