Studies Suggest That Inaccurate Television Portrayals of Disabilities and Deafness Have Powerful Influence on Public Perception of These People and Their Cultures

• Uneducated Depictions of Disability on Television Contribute to Perpetuation of Societal Stigmas
• Rise in Number of Deaf Actors Playing Main Characters on Television Sheds Light on Growing Tolerance of Deaf Culture
• Educating Oneself on Deaf Culture Reduces Media's Ability to Manipulate Individual Perception with Misinformation
• Television Plays Large Role in Shaping and Reshaping Public Perception of Deaf Culture

The portrayal of disabilities on television is immensely influential of public perception. Whether the disability being portrayed is physically visible/invisible or mental, the perception of the public is altered both directly and indirectly by the way they are depicted. One commonly misrepresented population is the Deaf community. Unrealistic and offensive portrayals of deafness on television are perpetuating stigmas that the Deaf community is constantly trying to break.

Uneducated Depictions of Disabilities on Television Perpetuate Common Misperceptions and Stereotypes

The most common depictions of disabilities on television tend to be highly inaccurate, perpetuating stigmas and negative stereotypes. These portrayals plant false information in the minds of television viewers, ultimately misinforming the general public about people with disabilities.

Dr. Leone, a professor within the Special Education Program at the University of Maryland, comments on how people with disabilities are typically portrayed on television.



The two most popular portrayals are referred to as the "Super-Crip" and "Object of Pity", as Leone states. The "Super-Crip" portrays people with disabilities as abnormally heroic and super-human, whereas the "Object of Pity" plays on the prejudice emotions of the audience, causing them to look down on those with disabilities as incapable of doing anything. 

People with disabilities want to be depicted as ordinary people who are not defined by their disability. These common stereotypes generally influence the audience to feel uncomfortable around disabled people, or behave inappropriately toward them.

A commonly disputed topic is the portrayal of deafness on television. Deaf people have their own culture and community that define deafness as more than a medical disability. This is commonly misrepresented on television as a result of ignorance to the culture.

Research Study Suggests Increase in Recognition of Deafness on Television as Deaf Character Roles Shift From Irrelevant to Important/Main Characters

Deafness has been, and still is commonly viewed as a disability by a large percentage of the hearing population. There are many factors that contribute to the stigmatization of deafness as a disability, television being an undeniable factor.

Television portrays deafness and Deaf culture both positively and negatively, but does not attempt to break false stereotypes. It is important to gain background knowledge on Deaf culture to avoid being misinformed by the media. Deaf people do not view their deafness as a disability, but rather a cultural identity. They view it as something to take pride in, not a trait that makes them deficient. 

Deaf people are commonly stigmatized as less capable, easy targets, and are often portrayed as the "victim" on television. Due to a lack of knowledge of the Deaf culture as a whole, the portrayal of deafness on television can easily influence the public to believe things about Deaf culture that are utterly untrue. 

A 2014 study investigated the portrayals of the deaf on television and examined how they have changed throughout the years of 1987 to 2013. Researchers gathered data from 40 different programs that featured at least one deaf character. Several categorical factors were observed.

In analyzing the study, my attention was focused on the distribution of the type of deaf characters portrayed on television from each decade to analyze whether the portrayal of deaf people has holistically changed over 26 years.

I grouped all of the characters from the study into four different categories: Positively portrayed characters, Negatively portrayed characters, Main characters, and Neutral Characters. I categorized the show where best fit based on whether the character carried a positive, negative, or neutral connotation for the Deaf community. Main characters did not describe the connotation associated (only a name was given), therefore I grouped them separately. This being said, a deaf person as a main character says a lot about how perception of deafness has evolved.

This graph compares the different roles in the 1990s decade versus the 2010s decade (for the samples given in the study).

The number of positive portrayals has decreased while negative portrayals has increased. This could be due to the fact that because deaf people are given more recognition in shows, there is more opportunity for this recognition to be more negative. When they played neutral/irrelevant characters, not as much attention and consideration was drawn to them. 

According to the study findings, as time has passed, more deaf people are being acknowledged and given less neutral/irrelevant roles. Even a negative role suggests some improvement because it acknowledges the deaf as capable of playing parts that are more relevant and pertinent to the storyline than an insignificant extra such as "Tom's neighbor" or "Susie's mom".

Professor Dunham, American Sign Language professor at the University of Maryland, comments on how he personally feels the portrayal of deafness has changed over the years.



The growing spotlight on Deaf culture and recognition of the Deaf as a community is sculpting and altering public perception of deafness from viewing it as a disability or deficiency to an appreciated culture.

Overall, the portrayal of the deaf on television according to this sample is slowly improving in terms of representing the deaf as ordinary people. Tolerance is rising, however the depictions are still below adequate in terms of accurately portraying the Deaf community. In order to destigmatize deafness as a disability, it is important to continue portraying the culture of deafness on television in an accurate manner, and educating the hearing population about Deaf culture.

Social Media Survey Suggests That Lack of Knowledge Results in Greater Susceptibility to Media Manipulation of Public Perception

I completed my own research survey to determine how the public feels about the accuracy of the portrayal of deafness on television. I provided a voluntary survey on my Facebook network, where I received 104 total responses.

• 50.5% of sample classifies themselves as having no long-term exposure to Deaf culture
• 56.2% of sample classifies deafness as a disability
• 89.5% believe Deaf people have their own culture
• 58.1% believe that the portrayal of deafness on television has become more accurate over time

I focused my attention on comparing each person's amount of exposure to Deaf culture (if any) to how accurate they feel Deaf culture is portrayed on television. This shows how lack of prior knowledge about Deaf culture can affect feelings of accuracy.

I analyzed how people with little to no exposure to Deaf culture feel about the accuracy of the portrayal of deafness on television, my findings are graphed to the left.

Comparing this graph to responses from people who have had consistent exposure to the Deaf culture, I found a significant difference in feelings of accuracy of Deaf culture portrayal on television. The majority of people who had consistent exposure stated that the portrayals of Deaf culture on television are mostly inaccurate, whereas this sample thinks the portrayals are primarily "somewhat accurate".

I asked my surveyed volunteers whether they could name any specific show(s) they have seen or heard about with positive or negative portrayals of Deaf culture. Of the 104 people, 32 people listed Switched at Birth as a show with a strong influence. Interestingly enough, it was listed by my sample both positively and negatively for the Deaf community.

Study on Switched at Birth Proposes that Television Plays Large Role in Reshaping Audience Perceptions of Deaf Culture

According to a study on the recent hit ABC television show Switched at Birth, television plays a large role in altering the perceptions and views of its audience. The goal of this study was to measure how watching this show influences a sample's perception of deafness.

The group took a pre-test before watching the television show, answering questions about common topics concerning deafness. The sample then watched three different Switched at Birth episodes, and took another questionnaire. The results were then compared.

After three episodes of Switched at Birth, which promotes Deaf culture in many ways, subjects' perceptions of the deaf altered significantly, viewing deafness in whole as a cultural identity more than a disability. This is just one of many examples that exemplifies how vastly influential television can be in shaping the perceptions of its audience.

Deaf people are often portrayed as being able to easily read lips and understand the speaker perfectly on television. A viewer with no prior knowledge of Deaf culture may be easily influenced and assume that every deaf person reads lips. Although this would be ideal in terms of easy communication, it is a commonly portrayed misconception about the Deaf community. Reading lips is very rare among the deaf, and is also astoundingly difficult.

It is important that Deaf culture continues to be represented more accurately and often on television to eliminate these deceptive stereotypes.

Deaf and Disability Communities Seek Accurate Television Portrayals to Eliminate Stigma From Society

The portrayal of deafness and disabilities in general are becoming more accurate, but there is still a great deal of work to be done. The portrayal of the cultures of these populations must be improved with strong emphasis on the idea that they are ordinary people who are not to be defined by their disability. Until the media steps away from dramatization and focuses on destigmatization, our society will remain uneducated about the truth of these cultures and individuals.

Recent Studies Suggest Teenagers Prefer to Obtain Music by Streaming/Downloading While Adults Tend to Favor Recorded Music

• The importance of recorded music for teenagers vastly declines as the phenomena of streaming and downloading music dominates the younger population.
• Records and CDs are more relevant to the middle-aged population as opposed to teens, given the tendency for individuals to become less interested in current music as they age.
• Misleading study proposes that older, not younger, generations are top consumers of downloading music online.

Due to technological advancements over the past decade, popular methods for purchasing music have taken a drastic turn from recorded music (such as CDs, records, and tapes) to online downloads and streaming. As a result, CD and Record stores have lost a great deal of business, especially from the younger population. Seeing that many teenagers have grown up with this technology, a large portion of the current teen population tends to be more comfortable with this new mechanism of downloading and streaming music. This is a drastic change for the middle-aged population who are more comfortable with obtaining tangible, recorded music. Considering the uncomfortable adjustment for individuals in this population, the majority tends to favor traditional recorded music over downloading and streaming.

Distribution of CD Purchases for Teen Population Decreases as Digital Downloads and Streaming of Music Grows in Popularity

Streaming music for free is a relatively new way of enjoying music that has eliminated the need for a tangible CD or recording. As a result, the number of teens who buy CDs and other recorded music has decreased dramatically. Results of a 2004 Buzzfeed study on who is buying music today vs. ten years ago support this claim. According to the data from this study (summarized in the chart below), the age bracket of 13-17 year olds who were buying CDs in 2004 decreased by about 7% by 2014. The age bracket of adults 50+ purchasing CDs has increased. The decrease in CD purchases for the 13-17 year old age group can be interpreted to result from online streaming, downloading music, and illegal downloads from the web. The 50+ age group remains, in both years, the highest consumers for CD purchases considering their familiarity with tangible recorded music.

The chart also summarizes what age groups are purchasing music digitally in 2014 as opposed to 2004. Surprisingly, the 13-17 age bracket decreased in digital purchases over the ten years, while the 50+ age bracket increased. This data is probably misleading, seeing that many variables are not accounted for in this study. Many teens today stream music for free or download it illegally instead of purchasing it online, falsely alluding that teens are not obtaining their music digitally. This could easily skew the data, especially considering many teens who do not have a credit card are usually buying music off of a parent's card, contributing to the false belief that adults are obtaining music digitally more than teens. The 50+ age range also generally has more disposable income, therefore there is no need to stream or illegally download music as much as teens.

Individuals Show Signs of Losing Interest in Music as They Age, Eliminating the Need For Instant Downloads of Current Hits

It is apparent in every day life that the interest in keeping up with current music decreases as individuals age. In a 2014 poll regarding this topic, results found this claim to be significantly true. According to the study, "More than twice as many 65-year-olds as 13-year-olds said that music did not feature heavily in their lives." Assuming the conclusion holds true to the remainder of the population, generally, the need for digital downloads and streaming is not nearly as relevant to individuals who are middle-aged. As people age, they tend to have less free time on their hands and are not as interested in the social aspect of keeping up with current hits.

Another poll explored age-specific preferences; the artists that different age groups preferred to listen to. With the exception of a few overlaps, as expected, older individuals displayed the tendency to prefer music from their era as opposed to current music on the radio. In conclusion to this study, recorded music is more relevant to people in their middle-ages and older who exemplify this trend. The need to stream current music is not as great. Instead, CDs of artists that the person favors can be pulled from a shelf and listened to when they find the time or the desire. Adults tend to not be listening to music as much as teens present-day, and they usually own more equipment to listen to music they prefer/grew up listening to (CD players, tape recorders, record players) as opposed to the technology teens have to enjoy their music (laptops, iPhones, etc.).

In addition, many middle-aged individuals feel a connection with the need for a tangible CD or recording that teenagers, who were brought up downloading music, cannot relate to. Growing up purchasing CDs as opposed to downloading music that is stored on a computer, many adults prefer to remain in their comfort zone and buy the tangible CD. The founder of J.A. Williams Law & Artist Empowerment, Jo-Ná Williams supports this,

"Are physical CDs still important?" — It depends on your target market. If your market is a little younger, most of them purchase their music with their phones or iTunes or they listen to it through streaming services. However, I know some artists that sell to an older demographic and their audience still wants the physical product."

It is clear that the connection older individuals feel toward the need to have the physical product is recognized throughout the music industry.

Are Middle-Aged Individuals, Rather Than Teens, the True Top Consumers of Musical Downloads as Recent Study Suggests?

A recent article claims, contrary to popular belief, that the 45+ age group is actually the age group that is downloading the most music. To support this claim, the article states that teens only account for about 7% of CD sales and 12% of downloads. The claims of this article are flawed due to the fact that it does not outwardly account for the teens that are using the credit cards of parents that fall in the 45+ age group, making it falsely look as if they are purchasing more music. The article also does not account for all of the illegal downloads and YouTube to MP3 conversions that many teens, who do not have as much (if any) disposable income, rely on. Although based on pure data collection it may seem as if the older population is purchasing more music, not all variables are being accounted for.

Additionally, the article claims that, "...Much of what's being purchased is called catalog music. A lot of this is music from the 60's, 70's, 80's, and 90's rather than newer acts." According to top charts on iTunes, this statement is false. Much of what is being purchased on iTunes (exemplified by the current top iTunes purchases to the right), are the top singles usually being downloaded for teenagers who tend to enjoy this current music more than adults. Although catalog music may account for some of the downloaded purchases online, it clearly does not make up the majority of purchased singles. The inaccuracy of this point heavily discredits the argument suggested by the article.

Although these observations do not ring true for all teenagers or middle-aged individuals, it is generally permissible to conclude that recorded music tends to, overall, be more important for middle-aged individuals as opposed to teenagers who tend to rely more on streaming and digital downloading.

Advertisements Put Self-Esteem of Women at Risk as Victoria’s Secret Promotes “The Perfect Body” For Women While Nike Plus Advocates Belief of Men Superiority

The Victoria’s Secret advertisement produces negative effects because the words “The Perfect Body” are written over the line-up of skinny women. This could cause low self-esteem for other women in society who feel the advertisement is implying that there is only one body type that is “perfect”. Women may feel that if they do not have this body type, then they are not beautiful. The NikePlus advertisement may also produce negative effects for women because it promotes men as being the superior gender, which could make women feel as if they are not good enough or have low-set limitations. Both of these advertisements could affect the self-esteem of women directly or inadvertently; possibly leading to a variety of future problems for the female gender if they let advertisements like these become self-fulfilling prophecies.

About Myself

My name is Emily. I am a freshman here at the University of Maryland, and I am majoring in Hearing and Speech Sciences. My goal is to receive a Bachelors Degree in speech pathology, then continue on to graduate school to receive a Masters Degree. Ultimately, I would like to be a speech pathologist for the deaf and hard-of-hearing. I really love to write, draw, and I love American Sign Language. I love to meet new people, so naturally I am an extremely extroverted and outgoing person.