Effect of Three Informational Strategies on Coworker Attitudes Towards Hiring People with Autism
Submission Type
Event
Expected Graduation Date
2014
Location
Center for Natural Sciences, Illinois Wesleyan University
Start Date
4-12-2014 2:00 PM
End Date
4-12-2014 3:00 PM
Disciplines
Psychology
Abstract
Misconceptions and stereotypes about disabilities are often the largest obstacle to the hiring of people with disabilities. Vocational rehabilitation professionals have argued that employers should be given information about the benefits of hiring people with disabilities to counteract inaccurate knowledge about disabilities. The present experiment is designed to examine the efficacy of informational passages with respect to influencing behavioral intentions toward hiring people with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). This study is grounded in the Theory of Planned Behavior (Ajzen, 1985, Ajzen, 1991), which has been used to help researchers and applied professionals better understand employers’ intentions to hire people with disabilities (Fraser et al., 2011). Results showed a significant gender effect such that women tended to be more positive towards hiring initiatives for people with ASD than men. Providing information about business benefits significantly improved men’s reactions to hiring initiatives without significantly changing women’s reactions.
Effect of Three Informational Strategies on Coworker Attitudes Towards Hiring People with Autism
Center for Natural Sciences, Illinois Wesleyan University
Misconceptions and stereotypes about disabilities are often the largest obstacle to the hiring of people with disabilities. Vocational rehabilitation professionals have argued that employers should be given information about the benefits of hiring people with disabilities to counteract inaccurate knowledge about disabilities. The present experiment is designed to examine the efficacy of informational passages with respect to influencing behavioral intentions toward hiring people with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). This study is grounded in the Theory of Planned Behavior (Ajzen, 1985, Ajzen, 1991), which has been used to help researchers and applied professionals better understand employers’ intentions to hire people with disabilities (Fraser et al., 2011). Results showed a significant gender effect such that women tended to be more positive towards hiring initiatives for people with ASD than men. Providing information about business benefits significantly improved men’s reactions to hiring initiatives without significantly changing women’s reactions.