User:GRSD2/sandbox

I plan to do my project on the impact of disabilities portrayed in the media. I want to expand the existing page to include viewpoints such as the potentially positive effects of seeing accurate and non-stereotyped representations of youth in the media. There are many stereotypes in media of people with various disabilities, but I want to focus on the impact it can create when characters are written based on real experiences.

The talk page discusses the idea that the article is not entirely neutral and instead leans toward focusing only on the more negative portrayals of people with disabilities. This does not encompass the full range of media portrayal, which i hope to find and add

"Media Portrayals" Wiki heading addition: In fact, the tendency for media to portray the image of autism through children overwhelmingly outnumbers the representation of adults in various forms of media. This large discrepancy indicates a pattern of focusing on children instead of creating space for adult representation as well. (infantilizing article) With 50,000 people with ASD turning 18 every year,(1) this child-focused portrayal of autism is not accurate and creates a barrier for adults with ASD who can benefit from representation as well. (By the Numbers, A look at autism, 10/15,Vol 46, No. 9, Print version: page 11 on APA website) this section can go right after the sentence "Popular media have depicted..."

Towards the end of the paragraph: More recently, TV shows such as Bones and The Big Bang Theory have shown public audiences examples of successful and high achieving characters who are believed to have a form of ASD. Character development on these characters do not rely solely on their disabilities, but rather exemplify great capabilities in their respective fields. (cite: 1.   Autism Spectrum Disorder in Popular Media: Storied Reflections of Societal Views)

Dissertation Headings titled: "Media Representations of ASD " and "Implicit Effects of Media Representations of ASD"

The stereotypes that weigh heavily in various media representations of people with ASD focus on highlighting the differences about the community, rather than shedding a light on their similarities or how they may benefit from a more informed society.(Source#5, dissertation)

'''In fact, the tendency for media to primarily portray autism in children overwhelmingly outnumbers the representation of adults with ASD in various forms of media.(1) A digtal search from three online databases yielded 83 movie and tv shows with a form of ASD, where 68% of said characters were children. (Stevenson, Harp, Gernsbacher, 2014) This large discrepancy indicates a pattern of focusing on ASD in children’s lives instead of creating space for adult representation as well. (Stevenson, Harp, Gernsbacher, 2014) With 50,000 people with ASD turning 18 every year, this child-focused portrayal of autism is not accurate and creates a barrier for adults with ASD who can benefit from representation as well. (By the Numbers, 2015) The normalization of autistic adults in society through media may help contribute to a more informed, accepting, and accommodating environment where people can flourish in their matured lives. (Infantilizing)'''

'''The variety of stigmatizing cues used by mass media to indicate the presence of autism usually serve to highlight the differences between the person and typical people in the general public. These cues used to create the character within a plot are manipulated to focus on variances, rather than suggest how said character may connect with the neurotypical population. ( A threatening space) Even with good intentions, portrayal of a specific character identified with autism can formulate views that originate from one or a few experiences, especially focusing on the surrounding viewpoints. An observational study focused on this idea within the show Parenthood, directed by Jason Katims, who has a son with autism in real life. Though he incorporated many realistic situations of Max, the character with Aspergers, the viewpoint of the interactions came with a focus on the surrounding family’s reactions to Max’s behaviors, rather than Max’s personal adolescent viewpoint. (Holton, 2013) The process of developing an individual’s understanding from media must be taken perceived as a viewpoint with entertainment as the lense, rather than the whole truth. (Belcher and Maich)'''