Definitions of intelligence have traditionally been rooted in literacy competence. In this article, the authors examine two historical examples where societal prejudices and institutional forces worked to limit and regulate access to literacy. The first example illustrates how racism and denial of competence were so profoundly linked and…

Are new labels for stigmatized groups of students merely new packaging for old meanings? Is this linguistic illusion of change an aspect of education as an institution and of educators as a speech community? To address these questions, this paper examines labels popularized in the 1960s--"culturally deprived/disadvantaged," and "at-risk," a label…

Until recently there has been little research interest in the possible impact of sex on leadership. Both general leadership research and the more recent materials on women who are leaders concentrated upon three areas of leadership--personality, style, and power--with the subordinate reactions they elicit. Traditionally, women have been viewed by…

Describes studies that investigate how labeling and stigmatization of the elderly might contribute to behavior that would confirm prevalent stereotypes of old age and lead to lowered self esteem and diminished feelings of control. Also discusses suggested strategies for social change. (Author/GC)

Describes extensive litigation resulting from a geography teacher's characterization of a German-American student as a neo-Nazi. Making a federal case out of this matter was misguided, though "hostile atmosphere" litigation is increasing. Parents could have pursued administrative action through the board of education. Umbrella "hate…

Studied effects of presence of novel social category on intergroup attitude formation in 6- to 9-year olds. Found that after four weeks of the functional use of color groups, children's attitudes showed consistent biases favoring their own group. Children with higher self-esteem showed higher intergroup stereotyping than did children with lower…

This article proposes that the experience of people categorized as having intellectual disabilities is inadequately represented by disability theory premised on the socially constructed duality between disability and impairment. It argues that representation within the wide world of disability will only be achieved by thinking of disability on a…

Research has shown that people often do not claim labels associated with mental retardation or learning difficulties. We discussed the interpretation that this rejection is an example of a denial process, the purpose of which is to protect self-esteem. Alternative explanations for this lack of identification were offered, based on an understanding…

Struggle for racial justice in the public schools is now taking on a new focus. The issue has become the treatment of minority students within "desegregated" systems and the use of suspensions, tracking, and unofficial exclusion to discriminate against them. [Available from Commonweal Publishing Company, 232 Madison Avenue, New York, New York…

Traits attributed to deaf people may not reflect their true characteristics, but the paternalistic posture of hearing experts. The attributions reveal paternalistic universals, paternalistic parallax, paternalistic ethnocentrism, and economic self-interest. Research flaws in test administration, test language, and test scoring are identified.…

Uses a videotape of two preschool children to investigate the influence of gender labeling adults' perception of aggression in children. The degree of aggression displayed by the target child was judged by 175 college students (139 females, 36 males). Four conditions were created by varying the gender label of both the target and the nonrated…

Seventy-five graduate students in speech pathology and audiology rated the speech and language of two educable mentally retarded and two normal six-year-old boys. (Author/PHR)

Investigates the stereotypical attitudes of college students toward a variety of social situations involving Asian Americans. Examines the effects of differential labeling of Asian Americans regarding the attitudes held toward them. Results indicate that students did hold stereotypical attitudes toward Asian Americans and that these attitudes were…

Investigated the effect of violating politically correct label protocol in a counselor-profession relationship. Results taken from surveys which used either politically correct or politically incorrect labels showed that the group responding to the latter survey exhibited a more positive attitude than did those responding to the politically…

Examined accuracy of black and of white students' in-group and out-group stereotypes by comparing judgments of stereotypicality and dispersion of black and of white first-year college students (N=100) with stereotypicality and dispersion of self-ratings provided by random samples of group members. Consistent with social identity theory,…