Abstract
People with physical disabilities are rated as having high warmth and low competence, and as a result are often stigmatized. Being perceived as an exerciser can mitigate this stigma. The purpose of this study was to examine whether videos of physically active individuals with a spinal cord injury (SCI) can reduce negative perceptions held by people who are able-bodied. The use of videos in this research area is novel. One week after completing a baseline questionnaire assessing perceptions of warmth and competence of an individual with SCI, 171 participants (Mage 20.73 ± 1.54 yrs; 77.84% female) viewed a video featuring an individual with SCI engaging in physical activity in a competitive setting, a non-competitive setting or a control setting. The post-video questionnaire evaluated participants' perception of warmth and competence of the featured individual. A 2 (Time) x 3 (Video) repeated measure ANCOVA controlling for sex revealed that warmth ratings did not change after watching the video, F(2, 167) = 1.57, p = .21. The Time x Video interaction was significant for competence ratings, F(2, 167) = 7.64, p < .01. While competence ratings increased for all groups, p < .003, change scores were greater for the competitive video group compared to the other groups, F(2, 171) = 7.64, p = .001. Videos of physically active individuals with SCI, particularly competitive sport videos, can reduce negative perceptions of competence held by people who are able-bodied.