Scrolling, Feeling, Judging: Disability Perceptions in Media and Emotional Intelligence

Media representations of disabilities are consistently criticized for reinforcing stereotypes and misrepresenting real lived experiences, which may shape audience perceptions. Samsel and Perepa (2013) found aspects reaffirming the sensationalism of disabilities on screen, portraying disabilities as unusual or odd while amplifying feelings of pity or sympathy towards the person with the disability. The current study will examine whether emotional intelligence influences how individuals interpret media portrayals. It will also examine whether there are sex differences, given that most studies support that females score higher on measures of emotional intelligence (e.g., Joseph & Newman, 2010). It is predicted that individuals with higher emotional intelligence will report more socially aware perceptions of disability representation in the media. This study provides real media representations of disabilities and then asks participants to complete the Trait Emotional Intelligence Questionnaire - Short Form(TEIQue-SF; Cooper & Petrides, 2010) and Representations of Disabilities in Media scale (Droscha et al., 2025). Those with higher levels of emotional intelligence may be better at evaluating portrayals, leading to more informed social perceptions and reduced reliance on stereotypes and prejudice. It is important to understand how emotional intelligence contributes to the perception of IDD as well as media portrayal.