[Blindmath] Survey regarding perceptions of stereotypes about blindness

Sun Aug 25 22:11:58 UTC 2013

I am not going to make a claim to the standard or worth of the research, 
that is something for the researcher to make the case for.

What I will say is that my reading of the question seems to be different 
from what you have concluded.

You seem to be taking that the research deals with what the stereotypes 
of blind people are, but I understand it to be dealing with the question 
of what blind people seem to perceive the stereotype to be. So one might 
say it is to determine what blind people stereotype sighted peoples' 
perceptions of blind people to be. Therefore it possibly would be a 
valid response to the questions asked, that you believe there are no 
stereotypes amongst sighted people regarding blind people (that would be 
a turn up for the books as your implication seems to be that many simply 
accept there is a perception of stereotypes, which might make such a 
study worth while as it would correct quite a number of people).

Also I will state, I come at this with a view that stereotypes must 
exist. I feel that normally everyone holds a view on something, a 
stereotype being a widely held view of a group, therefore there is going 
to be a widely held view of what a blind person is capable of.

Also remember a stereotype need not be that someone views a group 
negatively. As an example I would say that I have had enough sighted 
people say that they think I must have better hearing because I am 
blind, therefore I feel there possibly is a stereotype that blind people 
have better hearing.

Even where someone views a group to be the same is still a view, and if 
held widely enough I suppose can still be said to be a stereotype.

Anyway, enough of that, here probably is not the place to do pier review 
of research. Those who feel it is worth while research may choose to 
answer, those that think it is not need not and the researcher will need 
to be able to account for, or at minimum acknowledge, any bias this self 
selection may introduce.

Michael Whapples
On 25/08/2013 22:12, Sina Bahram wrote:
> Dave,
>
> The below is presented as research, not reporting. This was exactly my
> point. You just took your anecdotal experience and those that you have heard
> from others that you associate with, extrapolated to a larger group based on
> this knowledge, and then appeared to completely dismissed a counterexample
> presented to you. this is why we don't do research in this manner. Your
> beliefs are completely and utterly irrelevant from a scientific point of
> view. So are Ken's, and so are mine. The facts are what should matter, not
> the preconceived or pre-held notions that any of us bring to the table.
>
> The below study, in my humble opinion, however, appears to encapsulate the
> concerns and experiences that you just laid out, without actually bothering
> to ask the question, or cite the overwhelming evidence of, the underlying
> claim.
>
> Is there even a control group in this study? For example, is the researcher
> controlling for race, language ability, physical appearance, behaviors,
> etc.?
>
> If you, as your email implies, already accept the claim that stereotyping
> goes on, then you, by definition, must admit the pointlessness of the
> research because you already accept the claim. Note, I'm not claiming the
> research is pointless, by the way. Alternatively, if you approach it
> scientifically whereby one does not assume, even despite overwhelming
> personal experience, then one can generalize any facts that are learned,
> using statistics and other evidence-based techniques, to a larger
> population. Of course, then subsequent questions, which may address policy,
> advocacy, and other such things can be asked and such research could be
> useful in laying down the groundwork for those studies without having to
> prove all over again that the stereotyping exists.
>
> I'd love to see a study of whether self-reported stereotyping is higher
> amongst individuals who claim that stereotyping occurs and those that either
> have no opinion or do not claim this to be true. After all, if one controls
> for the various confounds, then it would be fascinating to see a
> correlation, or lack thereof, between those audiences e.g. if you expect
> something to happen, then will it, or in more scientific words, a form of
> confirmation bias.
>
> In fact, the below research could easily fold in such a research question.
>
> Take care,
> Sina
>
> Twitter: @SinaBahram
> Website: http://www.SinaBahram.com
> Blog: http://blog.SinaBahram.com
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Blindmath [mailto:blindmath-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of David
> Andrews
> Sent: Sunday, August 25, 2013 4:48 PM
> To: Blind Math list for those interested in mathematics
> Subject: Re: [Blindmath] Survey regarding perceptions of stereotypes about
> blindness
>
> While such a discussion is off topic for this list, I frankly find it
> hard to believe that you haven't been treated in a stereotypic manner
> in 20 plus years.  Have you ever been in a restaurant when the wait
> person asked you in a loud voice what you wanted?  Or -- asked your
> companion(s) what you wanted.
>
> I see examples of this kind of behavior almost daily and find it
> difficult to believe you have had none in 20 plus years.  I suspect
> we just regard it differently.
>
> Dave
>
> At 03:13 PM 8/25/2013, you wrote:
>> Hmm I have been blind now 22 years and sighted 21 years.  I haven't been
>> stereo typed that I know of since I have been blind so I agree with you
>> Sina.  Now I have been stereo typed because I am short, white, geeky,
>> conservative, X-military, Baptist, , muscly, etc etc so maybe I am just
>> missing the relevance of this study if it doesn't include stereo types that
>> happen regardless of you being blind or not.
>>
>> Ken
>>
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: Blindmath [mailto:blindmath-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Sina
>> Bahram
>> Sent: Sunday, August 25, 2013 3:35 PM
>> To: 'Blind Math list for those interested in mathematics'; 'NFB Young
>> Professionals List'
>> Cc: 'Advice and support for blind cooks'; 'blparent'; 'Colorado Association
>> of Blind Students List'; acb-l at nfbnet.org; 'Blind Talk Mailing List';
>> 'National Association of Blind Students mailing list'; 'Arizona Association
>> of Blind Students List'; 'NFB of Colorado Discussion List'
>> Subject: Re: [Blindmath] Survey regarding perceptions of stereotypes about
>> blindness
>>
>> Putting aside the relevance of whether this message is on/off topic (since
>> similar studies have been forwarded on here before, and I do feel it's
>> important to get as many participants as possible for such research), I do
>> have some concerns about the wording below. The wording, frankly, is
> neither
>> here nor there, but the underlying semantics and assumptions encapsulated
> in
>> the questions being asked is quite significant, I feel. The wording below
>> implies an acceptance that blind people are stereotyped somewhat always,
> and
>> you're simply interested in understanding how. While I feel that this is a
>> fantastic position to hold, especially if one is attempting to promote a
>> particular dogma or funding opportunity, for example, it might not be the
>> best tact to take from a research point of view, if that's of interest, of
>> course. For example, the email below, to me, seems to speak to an already
>> self-selecting and rather biased prospective participant, namely that of a
>> blind individual who has already been stereotyped or blind individuals who
>> feel like such stereotypes exists independent of their own experience e.g.
>> insert anecdotal evidence here.
>>
>> So, essentially, what I'm asking is whether it might not be more
> appropriate
>> to examine If such stereotypes exist as strongly as one might believe, and
>> furthermore to word the research query in such a way so as not to
>> immediately bias the potential participant?
>>
>> Just some thoughts.
>>
>> Take care,
>> Sina
>>
>> Twitter: @SinaBahram
>> Website: http://www.SinaBahram.com
>> Blog: http://blog.SinaBahram.com
>>
>>
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: Blindmath [mailto:blindmath-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Arielle
>> Silverman
>> Sent: Sunday, August 25, 2013 3:20 PM
>> To: NFB Young Professionals List
>> Cc: Advice and support for blind cooks; blindmath; blparent; Colorado
>> Association of Blind Students List; acb-l at nfbnet.org; Blind Talk Mailing
>> List; National Association of Blind Students mailing list; NFB of Colorado
>> Discussion List; Arizona Association of Blind Students List
>> Subject: [Blindmath] Survey regarding perceptions of stereotypes about
>> blindness
>>
>> Hi all,
>> My name is Arielle Silverman and I am a doctoral student in the Department
>> of Psychology and Neuroscience at the University of Colorado. As you may
>> know, I am conducting a series of studies for my dissertation examining
>> blind people's experiences finding employment as well as your experiences
> in
>> interacting with the sighted public. I would appreciate your help with a
>> brief online study investigating your views about ways in which blind
> people
>> tend to be stereotyped by society.
>> The study should take no more than 15 minutes to complete. In appreciation
>> of your time, you will have the opportunity to enter a raffle drawing to
> win
>> a $50 gift certificate to a merchant of your choice (Amazon.com,
> Itunes.com,
>> Olive Garden, or AMC Theaters). All of your responses in the study will be
>> anonymous and confidential. Anyone who is legally blind and at least 18
>> years old is welcome to participate.
>> To begin please go to:
>> http://ucsas.qualtrics.com/SE/?SID=SV_eEhW5bXJgyKeetT
>> Thank you as always for your assistance.
>> Best,
>> Arielle Silverman, M.A.
>> Doctoral Candidate, Social Psychology
>> Department of Psychology and Neuroscience
>> 345 UCB
>> Boulder, CO 80309-0345
>> arielle.silverman at colorado.edu
>>
>>
>> On 8/25/13, Kevin Lowe <kevl2686 at aol.com> wrote:
>>> Thank you Marisa. Unfortunately I have already been in contact with
>>> the president of the travel and leisure division and she had no other
>>> ideas
>> from
>>> what means I am currently using. Nonetheless I certainly do appreciate
>> your
>>> suggestion.
>>>
>>> Thank you,
>>> Kevin Lowe
>>>
>>> Sent from my iPhone
>>>
>>> On Aug 25, 2013, at 10:16 AM, "M Lucca" <lucca.marisa at gmail.com> wrote:
>>>
>>>> Hi Kevin,
>>>>
>>>> I am not familiar with CRM software, albeit I know its purpose and
>>>> importance. You may find the NFB Travel and Tourism Division a
>>>> helpful resource, though. Perhaps you should contact one of the
>>>> Division's board members or officers for guidance. I presume the
>>>> Division may provide some sort of direction. Here is a link to the
>>>> Division's website http://www.nfbtravel.org/
>>>>
>>>> Regards,
>>>>
>>>> Marisa Lucca
>>>> NFB Florida Member
>>>>
>>>> -----Original Message-----
>>>> From: Young_professionals
>>>> [mailto:young_professionals-bounces at nfbnet.org]
>>>> On
>>>> Behalf Of kevl2686 at aol.com
>>>> Sent: Friday, August 23, 2013 10:39 PM
>>>> To: young_professionals at nfbnet.org
>>>> Subject: [Young_professionals] CRM software
>>>>
>>>> Hello,
>>>> Owning my own travel agency I have been trying to find a Customer
>>>> Relationship Management (CRM) program that is fully accessible with
> JAWS.
>>>> As of now I have yet to find one that will work.  So this brings me
>>>> to my obvious question, do any of you know of a JAWS friendly CRM
>>>> program?  Any thoughts or ideas would be greatly appreciated.
>>>>
>>>> Thank you,
>>>>
>>>> Kevin Lowe
>>>> Better Days Travel, "We'll take you to a better place"
>>>> www.BetterDaysTravel.com
>
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