ATS1262 Lecture Notes - Lecture 6: Critical Psychology, Disability Studies
ATS1262 week 6
The medical model
Disability= the physical/mental characteristic that is a deficit compared to
“normal’ standard
Focus is on treating/curing it through medicine, and compensating for it through
rehabilitation
Get the person back to “normal’ as much as is possible
History of social model
Social approaches to disability really took off in the 1960-70s
Multiple socio- contextual models aiming to understand and define disability
-Minority model, human rights and independent living approach in US
-Nordic relational models
-British disability movement
Commonality: greater recognition and examination of the role of social and
contextual forces in producing and explaining disability
However, the “social model’ arose out of the hard-line British disability
movement
The social model
Divides “impairment” and “disability”
Disability= attitudinal, political, structural (&etc) barriers/oppression put upon
people with impairment by a non-disabled society
Focus is on structural, environmental and social change of society
All conditions are socially constructed at the experiential level-shapes how people come
to understand and live with their illness or disability
Reference for some thoughts:
Shakespeare, T. & Watson, N. (2001). The social model of disability: an outdated
ideology?. In S. N. Barnart & B. M. Alman (eds.), Exploring Theories and Expanding
Methodologies: Where are we and where do we need to go? Research in Social Science and
Disability volume 2, New York: JAI.
Prilleltensky, O. (2009). Critical psychology and disability studies: critiquing the
mainstream, critiquing the critique. In D. Fox, I. Prilleltensky, & S. Austin (eds.), Critical
Psychology: An Introduction (2nd ed.), London; SAGE.
Thomas, C. (2004). Rescuing a social relational understanding of disability. Scandinavian
Journal of Disability Research, 6(1), 22-36. doi: 10.1080/15017410409512637
Hughes, B. & Paterson, K. (1997). The social model of disability and the disappearing
body: towards a sociology of impairment. Disability & Society, 12(3), 325-340. doi:
10.1080/09687599727209.
Some background
oVision rehabilitation is inconsistent in promoting broader wellbeing and
psychological outcomes
oNeed for greater clarity around wellbeing outcomes that services should target
oNeed clearer understanding of the services that will actively promote wellbeing
oNeed to critically explore “wellbeing” in youth with vision impairment
Phase 1
Analysis
Six-staged thematic analysis
find more resources at oneclass.com
find more resources at oneclass.com
Document Summary
Disability= the physical/mental characteristic that is a deficit compared to. Focus is on treating/curing it through medicine, and compensating for it through rehabilitation. Get the person back to normal" as much as is possible. Social approaches to disability really took off in the 1960-70s. Multiple socio- contextual models aiming to understand and define disability. Minority model, human rights and independent living approach in us. Commonality: greater recognition and examination of the role of social and contextual forces in producing and explaining disability. However, the social model" arose out of the hard-line british disability movement. Disability= attitudinal, political, structural (&etc) barriers/oppression put upon people with impairment by a non-disabled society. Focus is on structural, environmental and social change of society. All conditions are socially constructed at the experiential level-shapes how people come to understand and live with their illness or disability. The social model of disability: an outdated ideology?. In s. n. barnart & b. m. alman (eds.
