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Author
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Jasmine Gray, Meredith K. Reffner Collins & Maria Leonora G. Comello
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Year
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2025
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Publisher
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Communication Monographs
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Abstract
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Entertainment narratives can substantially influence perceptions of
stigmatized groups like people with disabilities. However, existing
measures of exposure have not been implemented simultaneously to understand distinctions between self-reported exposure to specific titles of disability-related content and perceived frequency of exposure to disability-related content. In an online survey (N = 347), participants who reported seeing more titles had fewer negative attitudes toward and a decreased need to social distance from disabled people. However, participants who perceived more frequent exposure to disabled characters had lower satisfaction with disabled characters being played by people with those disabilities. This study has implications for communication scholar-activists addressing power inequities in society through supporting the empowerment and resilience of marginalized people like those with disabilities.