Abstract
We examined the effects of evaluative and affective components of attitudes on interactions with people with physical disabilities. Participants (N = 81) completed a questionnaire measuring self-efficacy regarding interactions with people with physical disabilities; we used a semantic differential (SD) method to measure impressions of people with physical disabilities and derived evaluative and affective components of attitudes. Using a maximum likelihood factor analysis of the self-efficacy questionnaire, we extracted 2 factors: embarrassing relationship and self-assertiveness. Using a maximum likelihood factor analysis of the data from the SD method, we extracted evaluative and affective components. Based on these factor scores, to examine the effects of attitudes (i.e., evaluative and affective components) on the self-efficacy regarding interactions with people with physical disabilities (i.e., embarrassing relationship and self-assertiveness), we conducted multiple regression analysis with factors of evaluative and affective components as an independent variables and factors of embarrassing relationship and self-assertiveness as a dependent variables. In the results of embarrassing relationship and self-assertiveness factors, we found significant regression equation in evaluative but not in affective components, showing that people with positive evaluation, showed a decreased feeling of disgust. Our present study assumed that evaluative components of attitudes might be an important factor in self-efficacy regarding interactions with people with physical disabilities, which could enhance the general public’s understanding of disability.
