STUDENTS’ PERCEPTION AND DISCRIMINATION OF PEOPLE WITH DISABILITY

3,000.00

Category:
RESEARCH INFORMATION

✎: STUDENTS’ PERCEPTION AND DISCRIMINATION OF PEOPLE WITH DISABILITY

❐: Chapter 1 – 5
♣:₦3, 000
❑: Ms Word format

: GET COMPLETE PROJECT MATERIAL

This study, “STUDENTS’ PERCEPTION AND DISCRIMINATION OF PEOPLE WITH DISABILITY” contains concise information that will serve as a framework or guide for your project work. The project study is well-researched for academic purposes and are usually provided in complete chapters with adequate References.

Keywords: STUDENTS’ PERCEPTION AND DISCRIMINATION OF PEOPLE WITH DISABILITY

 

RESEARCH BODY

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1     BACKGROUND TO THE STUDY

Perceptions are predispositions which have developed through long and complex process. Perception is an important concept in social judgment and behaviour and thus, is one of the most important concepts that influence decision making. Perception is a tendency to react favourably or unfavourably towards a designed class of stimuli. It is evident that perception cannot be directly observed, but must be inferred from overt behaviour, both verbal and non-verbal. Perception held by individuals may be simple or complex, stable or unstable, temporary or permanent and superficial or fundamental. Judgment based on insufficient fact is likely to yield wrong result and, thereby developing biased perception.

Perception towards disabled people is an important predictor of their social, psychologically and psychosocial wellbeing (McCoach, 2002). Research has mostly focused on factors influencing the attitude towards disabled people favouring a high cognitive performance in the society. Among such factors, the most relevant seems to be the use of education as a means of improving people with disabilities and as such gives people better opinion about them (Pressley, Yokoi, Van Meter, Van Etten, &Freebern, 2007). However, education is the only means of improving the attitude of people towards disabled people. Many other important variables affect the well-being of disabled people, for example, motivation, and discrimination towards them.

Discrimination can be defined as the way a person perceives and judge a particular thing or person. Discrimination towards people with disability could affect both cognitive and affective aspect and both social (relationships) and individual aspect of the people (Patrick, Anderman, & Ryan, 2002). Discrimination towards people with disabilities could be related to both social and psychological adjustment (Andersen, 1992), i.e. the judgment given by people to the disabled people depends on the following; socio-cognitive approach, individual interpretation, social values, mental development and subjective perceptions.

Consequently, perception towards disabled people could be shaped by appropriate goals and values, positive effect, supportive interpersonal relationships and a caring environment (Battistich, Solomon, Kim, Watson & Schaps, 1995). These factors should favour personal involvement and promote an internal locus of control. Moreover, they should meet social goals, such as social responsibility, intimacy and approval (Urdan & Maehr, 1995). Most of the disabled people need supportive adults who do not judge them, but rather help them by emphasizing individual efforts and improvement rather than ability and competition (Midgley, Anderman, & Hicks, 1995).

It could be believed that- the success of disabled people in school, society and every other area of their lives lies on the people’s perception and discrimination towards them. The way people respond and perceive the people with disabilities will, to a great extent, determine whether or not disabled people are needed or will be effective in the growth of the society.

Social policies concerned with people with disability are intended to promote their social inclusion within their communities, and their acceptance within mainstream services and facilities. This recognises that people with disability have the same right to achieve their personal goals and ambitions as the rest of the community, and in ways commensurate with achieving the fullest possible quality of life (Clement & Bigby, 2008). The United Nations Convention on the right of persons with disabilities 2008, which Australia has ratified, obliges governments to implement policies to realise and protect these rights. The convention is consistent with the social perspective on disability, which emphasise the exclusion seemingly based on bodily difference has a social and political dimension. For debates around this social perspective on disability, Abberley (1991), Gleeson (1995), Shakespeare and Watson (1997), Barnes and Mercer (2005), Pothier and Devlin (2006), Shakespeare (2006) and Samaha (2007).

People’s perception to disability and improving them is important, because social inclusion and exclusion are largely determined by dominant cultural values and perceptions. As the UK Prime Minister’s Strategy Unit report (2005) points out, attitudinal barriers are one of the main impediments to improving the life chances of people with disability, not only the perception of employers, health professionals or service providers, but also sometimes the perception of people with disability themselves. The report notes that ‘disablism’ (Deal 2007) (that is, those perceptions that constitute subtle barriers rather than outright discrimination) interprets people with disability as individuals in need to be replaced with recognition that people with disability are full and equal citizens, that the media has an important role to play in this, and that people need a better understanding of what disability is and how barriers perpetuate exclusion.

Examples of negative perception towards people with disability have a lesser position in the society or that they have diminished capacity to contribute due to their impairment. Holding such perception leads people to maintain social distance from people with disability and exclude them from their social networks. According to the United Nations (2003), Nigeria has roughly 12 million citizens who are disabled. This disabled population includes people with functional limitations such as physical, intellectual, or sensory impairment, medical conditions or mental illness. The history of this group can be characterized by marginalization, silence, and invisibility. According to the Center for Law Enforcement Education (CLEEN) report (2004), people with disabilities are the least cared for, and they experience widespread discrimination from their families and the Nigerian society in general. Most families in Nigeria who have a disabled family member are afraid of being ridiculed and laughed at by their neighbours and the public; therefore, they tend to keep the disabled person indoors and in isolation.

According to Okafor (2003), “some local ancient mythology has it that the disabled are social outcast serving retribution for offences of their forefathers”. Ibiam (2004) stated that the rate of ignorance among the Nigerian populace is high because mental illness is always associated with super-natural causes such as witchcraft or breach of a taboo or customs; therefore, the real causes of mental illness are neglected or disregarded because of such beliefs.          According to Okafor (2003), people with physical disabilities in Nigeria have a heavy psychological burden due to social deprivations coupled with their struggle for economic survival. Hence, on this background will this study set aside to make findings on O.O.U students perception and discrimination towards people with disabilities.

1.2     STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM

This study sought to investigate the general perception of O.O.U students towards people who are believed to be cursed because of their disabilities. Okafor (2003) wrote that people with physical disabilities in Nigeria are often seen as a disgrace to their families; therefore, they are often confined to discrete places where people will not readily notice them. By such measures, the disabled person is prevented from participation in normal activities such as educational, economic, political, and social pursuits.

In most cases, these persons are perceived as being cursed by the gods or by an act of witchcraft. In either cases, families with disabled members are often stigmatized and sometimes even ostracized by their communities and this is due to the perception of people towards them.

Since Nigeria gained independence in 1960, different ethnic groups at different times have accused the Nigeria Government of marginalization. This perception has resulted in creating tension and civil strife between the ethnic groups to the point that the Igbo ethnic had threatened to secede from the rest of the country, culminating in a civil war between 1967 and 1970. Ukiwo (2003) stated that discrimination starts from the government and has since extend to its people. Peoples discrimination towards people with disabilities may have been the problem that had caused a major segregation between people with disabilities and the abled people. This people are mostly regarded has not relevant in the society and in many cases they have been deprived of their rights in the society. Despite the plights the disabled are the least empowered in Nigeria when it comes to advocating for their rights. This is true regardless of the fact that there are about 12 million disabled Nigerians representing all ethnics, religious and linguistic groups. Although. Several studies have been done on the perception of people towards disability but none has been done on the perception and discrimination of O.O.U students towards people with disabilities. Hence, this study is set to make finding on the O.O.U student’s perception and discrimination towards people with disability.

1.3     OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY

The following are the objectives of the study:

i.              To assessthe perception and discriminationof O.O.U students towards people with disabilities.

ii.            To determine whether gender influences students’ perception and discrimination of people with disabilities.

iii.         To measure the impact of students’ perception and discrimination towards people with disabilities.

iv.         To recommend ways to improve the perception and discrimination of people towards people with disabilities.

1.4     RESEARCH QUESTIONS

i.              What are the ways O.O.U students perceive and discriminate people with disabilities?

ii.            Is there a difference between male and female students’ perception and discrimination of people with disabilities?

iii.         What are the effects of students’ perception and discrimination towards people with disabilities?

1.5     SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY

This study is expected to have an effect on Olabisi Onabanjo University Students, Homes, and the general public. The outcome of this study is to supplement the existing store of knowledge on the subject of perception and discrimination and it adverse effects on disabled people and also serves as a channel for further research on innovative ways of helping people suffering from these problems.

The result of this study may be of immense benefits to the public and private individuals, governments, parents, religious leaders, school counselors, students, lecturers, teachers, university management and researchers and as well as change their belief and attitude towards disabled people. The finding of the study may be of great help to the public and private individuals as it will expose the effect of negative attitude on the disabled people.

The findings of the study will be useful to the community, institutions of higher learning and the Nigerian government. The study will reveal the perception and discrimination by students towards disabled people and in their behaviour aspects. Failure to solve the problem of negative judgement and attitudes towards disabled people will not only threaten the life of disabled people but also the psychological and social development of the parent whose child/ward has disabilities. The current study is useful in contributing to the general body of knowledge in this area.

1.6     SCOPE OF THE STUDY

This study will be delimited to undergraduates of Olabisi Onabanjo University Ago- Iwoye, Ogun State, while the sample for the study will be restricted to the five faculties in the permanent site (PS) of Olabisi Onabanjo University Ago- Iwoye, Ogun State. The faculties included are; SMS, Education, Arts, Law and Science. The study is delimited to carry out and examination on O.O.U students’ perception and discrimination towards people with disabilities.

1.7     METHODOLOGY

Study Area

The study will be undertaken Olabisi Onabanjo University, Ago-Iwoye, Ogun State; the research designs under this methodology will be survey design. According to Asika (1991) research design is the structuring of investigation aimed at identifying variables and the relationship to one another. This is used for the purpose of obtaining data to enable the researcher to test hypothesis and answer the research question.

Population of the study

Out of the total number of O.O.U students, a total number of two hundred (200) respondents will be selected for the purpose of this research work. Using stratified random sampling techniques, (40) respondents’ will be selected from each faculty.

Instrument for data collection

Primary data and secondary data will be collected for this study. The primary data will be collected with the use of a self-developed questionnaire while the secondary data will be collected from journals, online materials etc.

Data Analysis

Descriptive statistical techniques will be used; statistical package for social science (SPSS) will be use in expressing in a simple percentage.

1.8     OPERATIONAL DEFINITION OF TERMS

Perception: the conscious understanding of something.

Discrimination:Discrimination can be defined as the way a person perceives and judge a particular thing or person. A distinction; discernment, the act of discriminating, discerning distinguishing, noting or perceiving difference between things

Disability: state of being disabled; deprivation or want ability; absence of competent physical, intellectual or moral power, means, fitness and the like.

Students:a person who studies a particular academic subject

 

Keywords: STUDENTS’ PERCEPTION AND DISCRIMINATION OF PEOPLE WITH DISABILITY

 


DO YOU WANT TO ORDER FOR THE COMPLETE PROJECT MATERIAL? Then click here

GET COMPLETE PROJECT

Have you made payment for this project? If YES, contact our Customer Care.

For further enquiries, call our Hotlines ☎: 08139342394 or 08152487601


PROJECT TOPICS AND MATERIALS | HIRE A WRITER | HOW TO PAY FOR PROJECT

 

Keywords: STUDENTS’ PERCEPTION AND DISCRIMINATION OF PEOPLE WITH DISABILITY

 


DISCLAIMER: hiWriters.com.ng focus on attracting students and researchers to materials that can be used as guide, framework, and reference for their project work. All contents/materials on this website are for research purposes only and for no reason should you copy verbatim. This platform is not encouraging any form of plagiarism, neither are we advocating the use of the project materials for cheating. We strictly recommend that research project topics and materials ordered for should serve as a guide or framework only. The contents therein should be used to generate fresh ideas for your own research. Finally, hiWriters.com.ng will not be liable for any material used inappropriately.