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The Impact of an Autistic Character Media Portrayal on Autistic Stereotypes: Media Portrayal

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Title: The Impact of an Autistic Character Media Portrayal on Autistic Stereotypes: Media Portrayal
Language: English
Authors: Sreya Mallipeddi, Cheryl L. Dickter (ORCID 0000-0001-8876-5582), Joshua A. Burk
Source: Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders. 2025 55(2):540-546.
Availability: Springer. Available from: Springer Nature. One New York Plaza, Suite 4600, New York, NY 10004. Tel: 800-777-4643; Tel: 212-460-1500; Fax: 212-460-1700; e-mail: customerservice@springernature.com; Web site: https://link.springer.com/
Peer Reviewed: Y
Page Count: 7
Publication Date: 2025
Document Type: Journal Articles
Reports - Research
Education Level: Higher Education
Postsecondary Education
Descriptors: College Students, Autism Spectrum Disorders, Student Attitudes, Labeling (of Persons), Stereotypes, Intergroup Education, Computer Uses in Education, Television, Socialization, Attitude Change, Vignettes
DOI: 10.1007/s10803-023-06197-y
ISSN: 0162-3257
1573-3432
Abstract: Purpose: Research has demonstrated that neurotypical college students view their autistic peers more negatively than their neurotypical peers and endorse stereotypes related to autism. One way to improve attitudes towards autistic individuals is to induce vicarious intergroup contact through the media in which seeing the lived experiences of an autistic character may reduce stereotypes via social learning. The current study sought to examine whether exposure to an autistic character in a television show would impact the stereotypes that neurotypical college students have about autism. Methods: College student participants (n = 147) viewed one of three short video clips depicting an autistic character who spoke about her experiences with ASD (i.e., informational condition), behaved in a relatable manner to neurotypical students (i.e., relatable condition), or engaged in stereotypical autistic behaviors (i.e., stereotypical condition). Results: Results indicated that stereotypes about autistic people were less negative for participants who watched the informational clip than the relatable clip, and liking for the character mediated this relationship. Conclusion: Our findings suggest that a short video featuring a likeable autistic person may reduce stereotypes about autism.
Abstractor: As Provided
Entry Date: 2025
Accession Number: EJ1460706
Database: ERIC
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  Value: <anid>AN0182958577;aut01feb.25;2025Feb13.05:25;v2.2.500</anid> <title id="AN0182958577-1">The Impact of an Autistic Character Media Portrayal on Autistic Stereotypes: MEDIA PORTRAYAL </title> <p>Purpose: Research has demonstrated that neurotypical college students view their autistic peers more negatively than their neurotypical peers and endorse stereotypes related to autism. One way to improve attitudes towards autistic individuals is to induce vicarious intergroup contact through the media in which seeing the lived experiences of an autistic character may reduce stereotypes via social learning. The current study sought to examine whether exposure to an autistic character in a television show would impact the stereotypes that neurotypical college students have about autism. Methods: College student participants (n = 147) viewed one of three short video clips depicting an autistic character who spoke about her experiences with ASD (i.e., informational condition), behaved in a relatable manner to neurotypical students (i.e., relatable condition), or engaged in stereotypical autistic behaviors (i.e., stereotypical condition). Results: Results indicated that stereotypes about autistic people were less negative for participants who watched the informational clip than the relatable clip, and liking for the character mediated this relationship. Conclusion: Our findings suggest that a short video featuring a likeable autistic person may reduce stereotypes about autism.</p> <p>Keywords: Autism stereotypes; Contact theory; Media exposure; Stereotype reduction; Psychology and Cognitive Sciences Psychology</p> <p>Copyright comment Springer Nature or its licensor (e.g. a society or other partner) holds exclusive rights to this article under a publishing agreement with the author(s) or other rightsholder(s); author self-archiving of the accepted manuscript version of this article is solely governed by the terms of such publishing agreement and applicable law.</p> <p>The number of autistic individuals entering college has increased and higher education institutions must be equipped to handle the needs of these students (VanBergeijk et al., [<reflink idref="bib31" id="ref1">31</reflink>]). Autistic students can face challenges navigating social situations as well as making and maintaining relationships with their peers (Adreon & Durocher, [<reflink idref="bib1" id="ref2">1</reflink>]; Gobbo & Shmulsky, [<reflink idref="bib14" id="ref3">14</reflink>]; Jobe & White, [<reflink idref="bib16" id="ref4">16</reflink>]). Further, autistic college students experience more social exclusion than their neurotypical peers (Jobe & White, [<reflink idref="bib16" id="ref5">16</reflink>]; Gobbo & Shmulsky, [<reflink idref="bib14" id="ref6">14</reflink>]; Schindler et al., [<reflink idref="bib29" id="ref7">29</reflink>]; Welkowitz & Baker, [<reflink idref="bib32" id="ref8">32</reflink>]; Wenzel & Brown, [<reflink idref="bib33" id="ref9">33</reflink>]; White et al., [<reflink idref="bib34" id="ref10">34</reflink>]). Thus, it is important to examine ways to improve social experiences for autistic college students.</p> <p>One of the reasons for autistic college students' negative social experiences may be neurotypical students' attitudes towards and stereotypes about autistic individuals. Indeed, college students perceive peers identified as autistic or who display behaviors consistent with autism more negatively in general (Lipson et al., [<reflink idref="bib17" id="ref11">17</reflink>]) and specifically as awkward or rude (Adreon & Durocher, [<reflink idref="bib1" id="ref12">1</reflink>]). These findings are consistent with research demonstrating that autistic young adult non-students are perceived more negatively than their neurotypical counterparts (Cage et al., [<reflink idref="bib4" id="ref13">4</reflink>]; DeBrabander et al., [<reflink idref="bib6" id="ref14">6</reflink>]; Morrison et al., [<reflink idref="bib18" id="ref15">18</reflink>]; Sasson et al., [<reflink idref="bib27" id="ref16">27</reflink>]; Sasson & Morrison, [<reflink idref="bib26" id="ref17">26</reflink>]). At the root of these perceptions may be misconceptions and stereotypes about autism, which can make individuals less willing to engage with autistic individuals (Gillespie-Lynch et al., [<reflink idref="bib12" id="ref18">12</reflink>]; Sasson et al., [<reflink idref="bib27" id="ref19">27</reflink>]). As the attitudes of neurotypical students can impact the experiences and success of autistic college students (Nevill & White, [<reflink idref="bib21" id="ref20">21</reflink>]), it is imperative to find ways to improve college students' attitudes and to reduce stereotypes towards autistic individuals.</p> <p>One way that individuals learn information about autism and autistic people is through the media. Recently, there has been an increase in the representation of autistic individuals in popular media (Nordahl-Hensen & Oien, [<reflink idref="bib22" id="ref21">22</reflink>]). Researchers have found that the characteristics and behaviors of autistic characters are often stereotypes that are not representative of the larger population of autistic individuals (Nordahl-Hensen & Oien, 2021; Ressa & Goldstein, [<reflink idref="bib24" id="ref22">24</reflink>]). For example, stereotyped behaviors are often overemphasized, including the savant-skill stereotype wherein an autistic character displays great skill in a certain area such as playing an instrument or having a photographic memory (Draaisma, [<reflink idref="bib8" id="ref23">8</reflink>]), or being emotionally detached and childlike (Ressa & Goldstein, [<reflink idref="bib24" id="ref24">24</reflink>]). These stereotypes are problematic as they present a limited and often inaccurate representation of a condition like autism which exists on a spectrum. On the other hand, in some portrayals of autism, certain behaviors are reframed as being relatable and even desirable. Draaisma ([<reflink idref="bib8" id="ref25">8</reflink>]) describes this as the "not so different at all" case which blurs the lines between what is considered a behavior associated with ASD and what is considered neurotypical. While this stereotype may contribute to the idea that autism exists on a spectrum it may also minimize the unique experiences of individuals with ASD by suggesting that these experiences are universal to all people.</p> <p>Media portrayals of individuals with disabilities are often criticized due to their stereotypic portrayal (e.g., Byrd, [<reflink idref="bib3" id="ref26">3</reflink>]; Nelson, [<reflink idref="bib20" id="ref27">20</reflink>]), potentially establishing negative attitudes and stereotypes against individuals with disabilities. However, in a study by Stern and Barnes ([<reflink idref="bib30" id="ref28">30</reflink>]), college students who watched an episode of the television show <emph>The Good Doctor,</emph> in which an autistic character portrays savant skills, had significantly higher scores on measures of knowledge about ASD, increased positive attitudes towards autistic people, and an increase in a desire to learn more about ASD, than those who watched an educational video. Media portrayals may allow people to create a mental script of interacting with an outgroup individual, which can lead to increased self-efficacy and trust in future interactions with outgroup members (Crisp & Turner, [<reflink idref="bib5" id="ref29">5</reflink>]; Park, [<reflink idref="bib23" id="ref30">23</reflink>]; Schiappa et al., [<reflink idref="bib28" id="ref31">28</reflink>]), consistent with Allport's ([<reflink idref="bib2" id="ref32">2</reflink>]) contact theory which suggests that intergroup contact reduces dependence on stereotypes as individuals learn counterstereotypic information (Rothbart & John, [<reflink idref="bib25" id="ref33">25</reflink>]). In interpersonal contact, neurotypical college students who have greater in-person contact with autistic individuals have more positive perceptions of autistic adults (Morrison et al., [<reflink idref="bib18" id="ref34">18</reflink>]) and more openness to interacting with an autistic peer (Gardiner & Iarocci, [<reflink idref="bib11" id="ref35">11</reflink>]; Nevill & White, [<reflink idref="bib21" id="ref36">21</reflink>]). In addition to interpersonal contact, vicarious intergroup contact may also reduce outgroup stereotypes. Research suggests that seeing the lived experiences of a character with a disability in the media can reduce stereotypes via social learning. Indeed, vicarious intergroup contact can lead to attitude change (Gaertner et al., [<reflink idref="bib10" id="ref37">10</reflink>]). For example, a study by Dickter and Burk ([<reflink idref="bib7" id="ref38">7</reflink>]) found that simulating an intergroup interaction with an autistic peer who displays stereotypical autistic traits improved attitudes towards autistic individuals. Thus, vicarious contact through media portrayals of an autistic character may present a potential method by which colleges and other institutions can reduce stereotypes about autism and autistic people.</p> <hd id="AN0182958577-2">The Current Study</hd> <p>This study sought to understand how exposure to an autistic character in a television show would impact the stereotypes that neurotypical college students have about autism, as quantified by a measure developed in conjunction with autistic individuals. Participants were randomly assigned to view one of three short video clips depicting an autistic character who was identified to participants as autistic. The autistic character was depicted (<reflink idref="bib1" id="ref39">1</reflink>) speaking about her experiences with ASD (i.e., informational condition), (<reflink idref="bib2" id="ref40">2</reflink>) behaving in a relatable manner to neurotypical students (i.e., relatable condition), or (<reflink idref="bib3" id="ref41">3</reflink>) engaging in stereotypical autistic behaviors (i.e., stereotypical condition). We included an informational condition in which the character provides information about their experiences as an autistic person, as previous research demonstrated that learning about the lived experiences of a media character with a disability reduced stereotypes (Gaertner et al., [<reflink idref="bib10" id="ref42">10</reflink>]). We included the relatable condition, as previous work suggests that perceivers judge outgroup members with disabilities more favorably when they perceive the outgroup member as similar to them, which can lead to increased identification with the character (Hoffner & Buchanan, [<reflink idref="bib15" id="ref43">15</reflink>]). The stereotypical condition, in which the autistic character engages in behavior consistent with autism, was included as research has suggested that characters in film and television are typically depicted with stereotypic autistic behaviors (see Nordahl-Hansen & Oien, [<reflink idref="bib22" id="ref44">22</reflink>]). We hypothesized that participants in the informational condition would endorse stereotypes less so than those in the other two conditions, as learning about the lived experiences of a media character with a disability reduced stereotypes (Gaertner et al., [<reflink idref="bib10" id="ref45">10</reflink>]) and increased the identification of false information about autism (Stern & Barnes, [<reflink idref="bib30" id="ref46">30</reflink>]).</p> <p>The current study also aimed to examine whether liking for the autistic character would be influenced by the type of clip. We hypothesized that liking would be higher in the informational condition than the other two conditions, as seeing the lived experiences of a character with a disability in the media can reduce stereotypes via social learning (Gaertner et al., [<reflink idref="bib10" id="ref47">10</reflink>]). We also examined whether liking of the show would differ based on the type of clip but did not have a priori hypotheses about this dependent variable. We also conducted exploratory mediational analyses to test whether liking for the autistic character or enjoyment of the show would serve as mechanisms for the relationship between condition and stereotypes about autism.</p> <p>Finally, we examined whether explicit attitudes towards autistic individuals, as measured by a feelings thermometer, would be affected by the video condition. The goal with this measure is to assess whether knowledge, relatability, or displaying stereotypical behaviors are critical factors for improving explicit attitudes.</p> <hd id="AN0182958577-3">Methods</hd> <p></p> <hd id="AN0182958577-4">Participants</hd> <p>Participants (<emph>n</emph> = 147) were typically developing (TD) undergraduate students, above the age of 18, at a public liberal arts institution in Virginia. Students were given course credit in an Introduction to Psychology class as compensation for their participation and were recruited through an online research participation system. Informed consent was obtained from all participants included in the study. All procedures performed in the study involving human participants were in compliance with the ethical standards of the institutional Protection of Human Subjects Committee.</p> <hd id="AN0182958577-5">Materials</hd> <p></p> <hd id="AN0182958577-6">Television Clips</hd> <p>To examine whether exposure to an autistic character in a television show would impact stereotypes about autism, participants viewed a television show that features a main autistic character played by an autistic actress. The show was not well known, which ensured that most participants had not seen it before. Moreover, the show featured a character around the same age as the participants. Previous work suggests that perceptions of outgroup members with disabilities are improved more when outgroup members are depicted in positive yet ordinary ways and share characteristics with perceivers (Hoffner & Buchanan, [<reflink idref="bib15" id="ref48">15</reflink>]; Müller, [<reflink idref="bib19" id="ref49">19</reflink>]). Episodes from the show <emph>Everything's Gonna Be Okay</emph> were adapted for the study and shortened to two-and-a-half-minute clips. The show centers around a character named Matilda, an autistic high schooler who lives with her older half-brother and younger sister as they deal with the loss of their father. Matilda is also preparing to go to college throughout the show and is learning to navigate romantic relationships and friendships as she plans for her future. The informational clip featured Matilda, the autistic character, speaking about her experience with autism as she delivers a eulogy for her father. In the clip, she describes how she interprets the world differently from neurotypical people and how her father took efforts to teach her things that are difficult for her such as making eye contact. The relatable clip featured Matilda trying alcohol and texting a boy she is romantically interested in. She expresses a desire to fit in with her future college friends and she does not want to embarrass herself when she drinks in college. The stereotypical clip featured Matilda navigating a city and demonstrating perseverative behavior and sensory overload as she rides the subway. She repeats a routine of taking the subway, getting food, and going to a park and says she is not ready to try something different as she prepares for a future in the city. All three clips had a caption labeling Matilda as autistic that was presented before the video clip. This caption was included because the main character in only one of the videos explicitly states that she is autistic at the beginning of the clip and we wanted all participants to view the clip with the knowledge that the character was autistic.</p> <hd id="AN0182958577-7">Participatory Autism Knowledge Measure (PAK-M)</hd> <p>The PAK-M (Gillespie-Lynch et al., [<reflink idref="bib13" id="ref50">13</reflink>]) is a measure developed with input from autistic individuals. Consisting of 29 questions on a five-point scale of strongly disagree, disagree, neutral, agree, and strongly agree, the measure asks participants to rank their agreement with statements about autism. Some of these statements are factual while others are based on common stereotypes about autism. For example, items such as "Autism is due to cold, rejecting parents" (reverse-coded) and "Autism can be diagnosed as early as 18 months of age" assess knowledge of autism. Statements such as "Autistic people are deliberatively uncooperative/bad mannered" (reverse-coded), "Autistic people can lead successful and satisfying lives," and "People with autism have empathy" are statements associated with stereotypes that people may have about autistic individuals. Higher positive scores indicate less endorsement of negative stereotypes of autism and autistic people and more knowledge about autism (α = 0.81).</p> <hd id="AN0182958577-8">Opinions Toward the Character and the Show</hd> <p>Participants were asked if they had seen <emph>Everything's Gonna Be Okay</emph> as well as their opinions on the show itself. Questions about Matilda were: "How likely are you to be friends with Matilda?" and "How likely are you to hang out with Matilda?". Questions about the television show were: "How much did you enjoy watching this show?" and "How much do you like the story?". These questions were on a 10-point scale ranging from 0 = not at all to 10 = very much. The questions about Matilda (α = 0.90) were averaged, as were the questions about the show (α = 0.89).</p> <hd id="AN0182958577-9">Feelings Thermometer</hd> <p>The feelings thermometer (Esses et al., [<reflink idref="bib9" id="ref51">9</reflink>]) is a sliding scale from 0 (Cold) to 100 (Warm), with a midpoint of 50 indicating neutrality. Participants were asked to indicate their feelings toward autistic individuals by sliding the scale to the suitable number.</p> <hd id="AN0182958577-10">Procedure</hd> <p>Participants were seated at computers and given verbal instructions about the task. They were informed that it was a survey-based study with a video clip to watch and that there were headphones available. Participants then completed an informed consent form before proceeding with the study. Each participant was randomly assigned to one of the three clips using a random number generator. After watching the clip, participants answered the questionnaires as well as demographic questions. This procedure took approximately 30 min and then participants were debriefed.</p> <hd id="AN0182958577-11">Results</hd> <p>Participants who had disruptions during testing (<emph>n =</emph> 3), had seen clips of the show (<emph>n =</emph> 2), or who were missing demographic data (<emph>n =</emph> 1) were excluded from data analyses. Analyses were conducted with 147 participants. Eighty-four participants identified as female, 58 identified as male, and 5 identified as non-binary. Participants were required to be at least 18 years of age and participant ages ranged between 18 and 21 years old (<emph>M</emph> = 18.77; <emph>SD</emph> = 0.82). See Table 1 for demographic information as a function of condition. Sixteen participants had been employed with an autistic person, 90 reported being friends with an autistic person, 42 had an autistic family member, 49 had volunteered with an autistic person, and 3 had been a primary caregiver for an autistic person.</p> <p>Table 1 Demographics as a function of condition</p> <p> <ephtml> <table frame="hsides" rules="groups"><thead><tr><th align="left" /><th align="left"><p>Total</p><p>n = 147</p></th><th align="left"><p>Informational</p><p>n = 46</p></th><th align="left"><p>Stereotypical</p><p>n = 51</p></th><th align="left"><p>Relatable</p><p>n = 50</p></th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td align="left"><p>Gender identity</p></td><td align="left"><p>84 female</p><p>58 male</p><p>5 non-binary</p></td><td align="left"><p>24 female</p><p>20 male</p><p>2 non-binary</p></td><td align="left"><p>31 female</p><p>19 male</p><p>1 non-binary</p></td><td align="left"><p>29 female</p><p>19 male</p><p>2 non-binary</p></td></tr><tr><td align="left"><p>Age</p></td><td align="left"><p><italic>M =</italic> 18.77</p><p><italic>SD</italic> = 0.82</p></td><td align="left"><p><italic>M =</italic> 18.74</p><p><italic>SD</italic> = 0.77</p></td><td align="left"><p><italic>M =</italic> 18.86</p><p><italic>SD</italic> = 0.80</p></td><td align="left"><p><italic>M =</italic> 18.70</p><p><italic>SD</italic> = 0.89</p></td></tr></tbody></table> </ephtml> </p> <hd id="AN0182958577-12">Analysis Plan</hd> <p>First, to examine whether the type of clip would affect stereotypes about ASD, mean PAK-M scores were compared across the three conditions using a univariate analysis of variance ANOVA with relatable, informational, and stereotypical conditions. Next, to test whether the type of clip would affect liking for the main character and liking for the show, two separate ANOVAs with condition (relatable, informational, stereotypical) as the independent variable were conducted. Third, liking for the character and liking for the show were explored as mediators between condition and PAK-M scores. Finally, a univariate ANOVA with condition as the independent variable and feelings thermometer as the dependent variable examined whether explicit attitudes towards autistic individuals varied as a function of clip type.</p> <p>For PAK-M, there was a significant main effect of condition, <emph>F</emph>(<reflink idref="bib2" id="ref52">2</reflink>, 144) = 4.51, <emph>p</emph> =.013, η<subs>p</subs><sups>2</sups> = 0.059. Tukey tests revealed that there was a significant difference in the average PAK-M scores between the relatable (<emph>M</emph> = 26.08, <emph>SE</emph> = 1.19) and informational conditions (<emph>M</emph> = 31.00, <emph>SE</emph> = 1.24), <emph>p</emph> =.013 (see Fig. 1). The stereotypical condition (<emph>M</emph> = 29.75, <emph>SE</emph> = 1.18) was not significantly different from either of the other conditions.</p> <p>Graph: Fig. 1 PAK-M score as a function of condition. Higher positive scores indicate more positive and less negative views of autism and autistic people. *p <.05</p> <p>Liking for the main character significantly differed as a function of condition, <emph>F</emph>(<reflink idref="bib2" id="ref53">2</reflink>, 144) = 12.31, <emph>p <</emph>.001, η<subs>p</subs><sups>2</sups> = 0.146 (see Fig. 2). Liking for the main character measure was significantly higher in the informational condition (<emph>M</emph> = 7.59, <emph>SE</emph> = 0.34) than in the stereotypical (<emph>M</emph> = 6.02, <emph>SE</emph> = 0.32) and relatable (<emph>M</emph> = 5.30, <emph>SD</emph> = 0.33) conditions, determined by Tukey tests, <emph>p</emph>s < 0.004.</p> <p>Graph: Fig. 2 Liking for the main character as a function of condition. *p <.05</p> <p>Liking for the show significantly differed as a function of condition, <emph>F</emph>(<reflink idref="bib2" id="ref54">2</reflink>, 144) = 10.80, <emph>p</emph> <.001, η<subs>p</subs><sups>2</sups> = 0.130. Participants who watched the relatable clip (<emph>M</emph> = 5.65, <emph>SE</emph> = 0.34) liked the show less than participants who watched the stereotypical (<emph>M</emph> = 7.00, <emph>SE</emph> = 0.33) or the informational clip (<emph>M</emph> = 7.89, <emph>SE</emph> = 0.35), <emph>p</emph>s < 0.015 (see Fig. 3).</p> <p>Graph: Fig. 3 Liking for the show as a function of condition. *p <.05</p> <p>To examine whether liking for the main character or for the show were potential mechanisms for the relationship between condition (i.e., relatable, informational) and PAK-M score, mediation analyses using Hayes Macro PROCESS via bootstrapping method Model 4 were conducted. The indirect effect of condition on PAK-M via liking for the main character was significant (B = 2.16, 95% CI [0.71, 4.21]), suggesting liking for the main character is a significant mediator. Liking for the main character accounted for 43.90% of the variance in PAK-M score. Liking for the show did not mediate the effect of condition on PAK-M.</p> <p>Explicit attitudes as measured by the feelings thermometer did not differ as a function of condition, <emph>F</emph>(<reflink idref="bib2" id="ref55">2</reflink>, 144) = 0.60, <emph>p</emph> =.549, η<subs>p</subs><sups>2</sups> = 0.008.</p> <hd id="AN0182958577-13">Discussion</hd> <p>The current study sought to understand how viewing a video clip from a television show featuring an autistic character would impact the stereotypes and attitudes that neurotypical college students have about autism. College student participants viewed a scene depicting an autistic character who either speaks about their experiences with ASD (i.e., informational condition), behaves in a relatable manner (i.e., relatable condition), or engages in stereotypical autistic behaviors (i.e., stereotypical condition). Results indicated that participants endorsed fewer stereotypes about autism and autistic people in the informational clip condition than the relatable clip. This finding supports previous work demonstrating that learning about the lived experiences of a media character with a disability reduced stereotypes (Gaertner et al., [<reflink idref="bib10" id="ref56">10</reflink>]) and that a show explaining an autistic character's behavior increased participants' likelihood of identifying false information about ASD compared to those who viewed an educational presentation (Stern & Barnes, [<reflink idref="bib30" id="ref57">30</reflink>]). In the clip in our study, the main character described how she sees the world differently from neurotypical people. Further, the effect of video clip condition on the endorsement of autism stereotypes was mediated by liking for the autistic character, whom participants liked more in the informational than the relatable condition. This finding is consistent with researchers' adaption of Allport's ([<reflink idref="bib2" id="ref58">2</reflink>]) contact theory, in which intergroup contact, even vicarious contact, can reduce stereotypes (e.g., Crisp & Turner, [<reflink idref="bib5" id="ref59">5</reflink>]) and lead to attitude change towards autistic individuals (Dickter & Burk, [<reflink idref="bib7" id="ref60">7</reflink>]). Our study identifies one of the mechanisms responsible for this relationship. Together, our findings suggest that viewing a short video in which a character describes their experiences with autism can be a potential intervention that colleges may use to reduce stereotypes about autism and autistic people but underscore the importance of ensuring that this character is likeable.</p> <p>In the current study, explicit attitudes towards autistic individuals did not vary as a function of the video condition. In addition to the explanation that videos featuring an autistic character do not change explicit attitudes, it is also possible that clips were not long enough or distinct enough from one another in their portrayal of ASD to significantly impact explicit attitudes toward ASD. Further, as we did not have a control condition or a pre-test feelings thermometer, we could not examine whether the videos changed attitudes regardless of condition.</p> <p>Although liking for the show was not a mediator, participants' liking for the show did differ based on video condition. Specifically, participants in the informational condition and stereotypical condition had significantly higher scores on liking for the show than participants in the relatable conditions. This result differed from that of liking for the autistic character, in which the informational video yielded more positive attitudes towards the character than the other two conditions. Our finding is inconsistent with previous work that demonstrated that perceivers judged outgroup members with disabilities more favorably when they perceived the outgroup member as similar to them (Hoffner & Buchanan, [<reflink idref="bib15" id="ref61">15</reflink>]). One explanation for why the show was liked the least in the relatable condition than the other two videos may have been that the depiction of drinking was not seen as relatable, but rather viewed more negatively. Further assessments of how participants interpreted this video would be useful for determining whether depicting other scenarios (e.g., studying for an exam) may make the character more relatable to participants.</p> <p>There are some limitations in the current study. All participants were university students enrolled in an introductory Psychology course which is not necessarily representative of the larger college population or the overall population at large. Moreover, the show features a character in a similar age group to many of the participants which could have an impact on attitudes toward the character and show. Future research should be conducted with a wider population allowing for greater diversity in age and other demographics. A further limitation of this study is the use of clips from a single television show, reducing the generalizability of findings to other television shows. Future research should attempt to replicate these findings with other shows depicting autistic characters. In addition, as we did not have a control condition or measure our outcome variables at the beginning of the study (e.g., feelings thermometer or PAK-M), we could not test whether the videos changed attitudes regardless of condition. Finally, this study only measured the short-term effects of viewing a video. Future research should examine whether viewing an entire episode or season can have long-term effects on the endorsement of stereotypes about autism.</p> <hd id="AN0182958577-14">Conclusion</hd> <p>Taken together, our findings suggest that viewing a short video clip in which an autistic character shares information about their personal experiences with autism can lead to less stereotypical views of autism. One mechanism responsible for this relationship is liking for the autistic character. These results suggest that colleges may consider implementing a short intervention presenting media featuring a likeable autistic person to reduce stereotypes about autism.</p> <hd id="AN0182958577-15">Declarations</hd> <p></p> <hd id="AN0182958577-16">Conflict of interest</hd> <p>The authors have no financial or non-financial competing interests.</p> <hd id="AN0182958577-17">Publisher's Note</hd> <p>Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.</p> <ref id="AN0182958577-18"> <title> References </title> <blist> <bibl id="bib1" idref="ref2" type="bt">1</bibl> <bibtext> Adreon D, Durocher JS. Evaluating the college transition needs of individuals with high-functioning Autism Spectrum disorders. Intervention in School and Clinic. 2007; 42; 5: 271-279. 10.1177/10534512070420050201</bibtext> </blist> <blist> <bibl id="bib2" idref="ref32" type="bt">2</bibl> <bibtext> Allport FH. 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  Data: The Impact of an Autistic Character Media Portrayal on Autistic Stereotypes: Media Portrayal
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Sreya+Mallipeddi%22">Sreya Mallipeddi</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Cheryl+L%2E+Dickter%22">Cheryl L. Dickter</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="http://orcid.org/0000-0001-8876-5582">0000-0001-8876-5582</externalLink>)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Joshua+A%2E+Burk%22">Joshua A. Burk</searchLink>
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="SO" term="%22Journal+of+Autism+and+Developmental+Disorders%22"><i>Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders</i></searchLink>. 2025 55(2):540-546.
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  Data: Springer. Available from: Springer Nature. One New York Plaza, Suite 4600, New York, NY 10004. Tel: 800-777-4643; Tel: 212-460-1500; Fax: 212-460-1700; e-mail: customerservice@springernature.com; Web site: https://link.springer.com/
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  Data: 7
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  Label: Publication Date
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  Data: 2025
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  Data: Journal Articles<br />Reports - Research
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="EL" term="%22Higher+Education%22">Higher Education</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="EL" term="%22Postsecondary+Education%22">Postsecondary Education</searchLink>
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  Label: Descriptors
  Group: Su
  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22College+Students%22">College Students</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Autism+Spectrum+Disorders%22">Autism Spectrum Disorders</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Student+Attitudes%22">Student Attitudes</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Labeling+%28of+Persons%29%22">Labeling (of Persons)</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Stereotypes%22">Stereotypes</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Intergroup+Education%22">Intergroup Education</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Computer+Uses+in+Education%22">Computer Uses in Education</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Television%22">Television</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Socialization%22">Socialization</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Attitude+Change%22">Attitude Change</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Vignettes%22">Vignettes</searchLink>
– Name: DOI
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  Data: 10.1007/s10803-023-06197-y
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  Label: ISSN
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  Data: 0162-3257<br />1573-3432
– Name: Abstract
  Label: Abstract
  Group: Ab
  Data: Purpose: Research has demonstrated that neurotypical college students view their autistic peers more negatively than their neurotypical peers and endorse stereotypes related to autism. One way to improve attitudes towards autistic individuals is to induce vicarious intergroup contact through the media in which seeing the lived experiences of an autistic character may reduce stereotypes via social learning. The current study sought to examine whether exposure to an autistic character in a television show would impact the stereotypes that neurotypical college students have about autism. Methods: College student participants (n = 147) viewed one of three short video clips depicting an autistic character who spoke about her experiences with ASD (i.e., informational condition), behaved in a relatable manner to neurotypical students (i.e., relatable condition), or engaged in stereotypical autistic behaviors (i.e., stereotypical condition). Results: Results indicated that stereotypes about autistic people were less negative for participants who watched the informational clip than the relatable clip, and liking for the character mediated this relationship. Conclusion: Our findings suggest that a short video featuring a likeable autistic person may reduce stereotypes about autism.
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        StartPage: 540
    Subjects:
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        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Autism Spectrum Disorders
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