Morton Isaacs

Abstract

Investigation of stereotyping has generally taken place either well after the process has occurred or within laboratory situations. The recent formation of the National Institute for the Deaf (NTID) within the Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT) offered a rare opportunity to investigate what occurs when a stigmatizable minority group is introduced into a majority culture. The deaf in general are readily distinguishable from the hearing due to their inability to easliy follow verbal communications, wearing of hearing aids, use of manual communication involving gestures in addition to or in place of sounds, and other observable behavior. Klineberg (1950) proposed a "kernel of truth" hypothesis with regard to a group stereotype. He stated that there should be found to be more than a random correspondance between a stereotype of a group and an o bjective measure of the group's characteristics. Harding et al (1969) point out that there have been few tests of this hypothesis. This research then is directed toward two hypotheses: (1) A stereotype of the "deaf student" has been formed on the RIT cmapus; and (2) This stereotype will correspond with an objective measure to the personality of the deaf.

Publication Date

1974

Comments

Note: imported from RIT’s Digital Media Library running on DSpace to RIT Scholar Works in February 2014.

Document Type

Article

Department, Program, or Center

Department of Psychology (CLA)

Campus

RIT – Main Campus

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