The Image of Disability Depicted in Children’s Films

Research Briefing Paper March 2021

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The Image of Disability Depicted in Children’s Films

Cassandra Bianchi, Alexa Covacha, Alysha Leal, Alma Martire and Krista Pelaccia

Key Findings ★ Based on the 15 Disney animated films reviewed, there was a greater

representation of mental disability in comparison to physical disability. ★ The most common identification criterion for physical disability was being

elderly. ★ The most common identification criteria for mental disability were aggression,

hallucinations, and feeling down or sad. ★ 46% of films reviewed have a negative portrayal of disability. ★ The hero who triumphed against all odds and the burden on friends, family or

society were the most common stereotypes presented in these films.

Research Question This research project strives to identify how disability is portrayed in Disney animated films. More specifically, the goal of this project is to identify the prevalence of characters in Disney films that subjectively portray physical, intellectual, emotional, or developmental disabilities. Additionally, the project strives to determine whether these characters are viewed in a negative, positive, or neutral way by characters in the film as well as film viewers. It is hypothesized:

1. There will be a greater number of

Disney films that present a character with a disability as opposed to films that do not.

2. Mental disabilities will be portrayed more often than physical disabilities.

3. The subjective portrayal of characters with disabilities will be seen as predominantly negative.

The depiction of Dopey in Snow White and The Seven Dwarfs reinforces negative stereotypes about people with physical and intellectual disabilities. Retrieved from https://lifeofanaspieweb.wordpress.com/2020/07/14/ableism-in-disney-what-is-disney-and-pixar-movies-portraying-as-a-message-to-people/

Issues Addressed According to Marris and Thomham (2000), stereotyping can be described as the ways in which people are represented by certain


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qualities or characteristics that are attributed to a social group that they are a part of. Although stereotypes can exist without a positive or negative connotation, the negative stereotypes that target social groups can result in individuals suffering hurtful repercussions (Miller, 2014). When biased misconceptions about a population are consistently portrayed negatively in the media, it becomes difficult to change the image and ideation that society develops about that population over time (Miller, 2014). To emphasize the fact that the presentation of negative stereotypes in film can be detrimental to these targeted populations, social cognitive theory clearly states that people acquire knowledge and beliefs through the observation of others in social contexts, including interactions, experiences, and influences from the media (Miller, 2014). When discussing the issue of stereotyping with social cognitive theory, it is important to understand the influence that filmmakers can have on young children when portraying a population of individuals in a certain way. It has been commonly noticed that many Disney films have developed storylines that revolve around disability, as well as developing characters with personality traits that may be subjectively viewed as a psychological disorder. Riley (2005) describes four common stereotypes of disability that have been identified in Disney films:

1. victim complex 2. hero who triumphs against all odds 3. character who is a burden on friends,

family or society 4. “bad” parent who is punished for

having a child with a disability

Researchers emphasize the fact that these portrayals can be damaging as they encourage the idea that people with disabilities are at a lower rank in society rather than encouraging pride in identifying as disabled (Ellis, 2007). Data Sources The data sources used are animated films produced by The Walt Disney Company and Pixar Animation Studios. We used several sources to view the content of these data. The primary source was from Disney+, an on-demand streaming service that provides access to all Disney and Pixar films. Additional sources came from DVD copies of the films and downloaded copies of the films from external streaming devices, such as Apple TV and Android TV.

Retrieved from https://disney.fandom.com/wiki/Disney%2B Data Collection and Analysis An online film generator was used to randomly select a total of 15 different Disney animations ranging from 1937 to the present day. Each member of our group was responsible for viewing three films and inputting the data for those animations. The research team developed a series of six checklists using inclusion criteria based on the definition of “disability”.


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Definition of Disability Disability is defined as any physical or mental condition that affects vision, movement, thought processes, memory, learning, communication, hearing, mental health, and/or social relationships (CDC, 2020). More specifically, disability is defined in accordance with the three dimensions proposed by the CDC (2020): 1. Impairments (body structure, body

functioning, mental functioning) 2. Activity limitations (loss of vision,

hearing, movement, thought processing)

3. Participation restrictions (work, social events, recreational activities)

The films were scored with a numerical value for each dimension: “1” indicating present and “0” indicating absent. It is important to note that the purpose of this coding system was to examine various symptoms associated with a mental and physical disability, rather than to diagnose individuals affected by such disabilities. Categories of investigation included the following for each film:

• Presence or absence of mental disability, physical disability or no disability portrayed in the film.

• Type of physical disability including assistive devices, amputation, smaller size, speech impediment/lisp, visual impairment, magical powers, hunchback, and elderly.

• Type of mental disability including hyperactivity, aggression, obsessions/compulsions, hallucinations, negative thoughts,

withdrawal, immaturity, excessive fear/anxiety, sadness, extreme mood changes, significant tiredness, inability to concentrate, and memory loss.

• Categorization of portrayal including positive, negative, neutral or no portrayal.

• Stereotypic class including victim, hero, burden, parent blamed or other.

All data was inputted using Google Sheets for easy comparison and analysis between each film. Results Of the 15 Disney animated films reviewed, 14 displayed evidence of mental disability. On the other hand, 8 films displayed evidence of physical disability. In one film, Lady and the Tramp, there was no portrayal of disability, neither mental nor physical. In 9 films, such as Chicken Little and Frozen II, there were portrayals of both mental and physical disability throughout. Overall, there was a greater representation of mental disability in comparison to physical disability across all films reviewed (see Table 1 and Figure 1). Table 1 Presence of Mental and Physical Disability in Disney Animated Films

Note: “1” means present; “0” means absent


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Figure 1 Presence of Mental and Physical Disability in Disney Animated Films

To highlight where mental and physical disability was represented in these Disney animated films, a list of identification criteria was compiled for both groups. For physical disability specifically, the identification criterion that appeared in the highest number of films was being elderly, with 6 films containing this criterion throughout. Characters with an amputation and those who are hunchbacked appeared in the least number of films (see Figure 2). Of the films that contained instances of physical disability, the one that had the greatest number of instances of identification criteria was Finding Dory, while Frozen II and Mulan both had the least.

Figure 2 Occurrences of Physical Disability in Disney Animated Films

The identification criteria for a mental disability that appeared in the highest number of films involved aggression, hallucinations, and feeling down or sad, all occurring in 9 films. Memory loss was the criterion that appeared the least, being present in only 1 film. Of the films that displayed instances of mental disability, Up was the film that contained the most criteria throughout, while Chicken Little, Brave, and Mulan contained the least (see Figure 3). Figure 3 Occurrence of Mental Disability in Disney Animated Films


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Based on all 15 Disney animated films reviewed, 21% exhibited a positive portrayal of disability, 33% a neutral portrayal, and 46% a negative portrayal in its characters (see Figure 4). Figure 4 How Disability is Portrayed in Disney Animated films

Looking at the common stereotypes that have been identified within Disney films, the hero who triumphed against all odds and the burden on friends, family or society, were present in the most number of films, 8 in total. The stereotype seen the least was the parent who is blamed for having a child with a disability, appearing in 3 films (see Figure 5). The films that contained all four common stereotypes described by Riley (2005) were Up, Inside Out, and Monsters Inc.

Figure 5 The Presence of Common Disability Stereotypes in Disney Animated Films

Implications of the Results As previously stated, the purpose of this research project was to observe the ways in which disability is depicted in Disney animated films from the mid-1900s to the present day. It was hypothesized: 1. There will be a greater number of

Disney films that present a character with a disability as opposed to films that do not.

2. Mental disabilities will be portrayed more often than physical disabilities.

3. The subjective portrayal of characters with disabilities will be seen as predominantly negative.

Firstly, it was found that there was a greater depiction of mental disabilities, such as intellectual and emotional, in comparison to physical disabilities in the animated Disney films reviewed. Previous literature on the prevalence of representing a mental illness vs. a physical disability states that characters presenting a psychological disorder are heavily stereotyped, whereas characters with physical disabilities are oversimplified and flat (Miller, 2014). The overrepresentation of mental disabilities, as opposed to physical disabilities, creates a platform where film producers can manipulate characters’ personality traits, such as angry or “crazy” to


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portray their disability. This can have detrimental implications for young children as they are beginning to form attitudes and beliefs about individuals in society. Another finding from this study observes the criteria for the representation of physical disabilities. It was found that among the criteria for physical disability, characteristics of old age were most commonly found. Previous research states there is still a high percentage of Disney animated films negatively presenting the elderly population, creating negative feelings in children towards older people (Robinson et al., 2007). When Disney animated films present the elderly as forgetful, mean, boring or lacking physical mobility, it adds to the negative, stereotypical representation of this population rather than depicting the strength, intelligence, and experience these individuals have had in their lifetime.

Chicken Little was perceived by his town as crazy after he expressed his concerns that the sky is falling, taking it as far as making a movie about him. Retrieved from http://disney14.blogspot.com/2015/03/chicken-little-2005.html In terms of mental disability, it was found that excessive sadness, hallucinations, and aggression were the most common depictions in the selected Disney animated films. The results aligned with a previous study by Miller (2014) where words such as “crazy” and “insane” were used to describe danger, a

situation getting out of hand or when a character was unusual or erratic. To reiterate a point made by Miller (2014), young children constantly being exposed to these negative portrayals may result in them unknowingly associating words like “crazy” or “freak” with mental illness.

Lastly, it was found that of the Disney animated films analyzed, (21%) exhibited a positive portrayal, (33%) a neutral portrayal, and (46%) a negative portrayal of disability. These negative portrayals of disability often aligned with the four common stereotypes examined by Riley (2005), where the character with disability triumphed against all odds and the character with a disability who is a burden on friends, family, or society was most commonly presented. The presentation of a character being a burden on their friends, family or society emphasizes the idea that individuals with a disability are incapable of being independent, which is not the case. Similarly, Kirkpatrick (2009) explains the implications that the triumphant hero portrayals can have, stating: “The majority of people with a disability will never be able to fully overcome their disabilities in order to truly be seen by society as “normal,” the perpetuation of the supercrip (overcoming) mentality is harmful because it sets an unrealistic expectation.”

Target Audience The population that would be most interested in the results of this project would be early childhood educators. The disability industry is estimated to be a one trillion-dollar industry in the United States (“Common Portrayals”, n.d.). This is an indication of how prevalent


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disability is in our society today. With early intervention, the exposure and lessons that accompany animated films containing disabilities may help shape a child for a better outcome in life and learn how to treat people with disabilities (Applebaum, 2020). With assistance from our education system, this can be reinforced by showcasing various films with positive portrayals to students, which influence how people treat others with a disability, and builds resiliency for the child especially when disabilities are more openly discussed as opposed to being hidden (Applebaum, 2020).

Animated films portraying disability can be used as an informational tool by child educators. https://www.cavsconnect.com/opinion/2016/06/06/what-movies-should-teachers-be-allowed-to-play-in-school/ Open discussion is crucial in the primary school years. Topics such as, what is a disability and how is it represented in the film all help shape the child’s view of the world. Further discussions should include how certain characters are depicted in the film, whether the portrayal is accurate, and what type of disability is represented. If the disability is not portrayed accurately in the film, it will not benefit the viewer and the person with the disability will not be able to “connect” with that particular character,

leading to a lesser chance of building skills and success in life (Common Portrayals, n.d.).

Educators can use the results from our project to determine which disabilities are represented in film as well as what films are more appropriate to showcase to students as part of their curriculum. Our project can also help to increase awareness and reduce stigma about disability, such as elderly people being mean or forgetful.

Artist Alexsandro Palombo recreated an image of Disney princesses as people living with physical disabilities to increase social awareness and inclusivity. Retrieved from https://globalnews.ca/news/1109526/artist-depicts-disney-princesses-with-physical-disabilities/#:~:text=TORONTO%20%E2%80%93%20Italian%20artist%20Alexsandro%20Palombo,around%20the%20issue%20of%20disability. Educators can also discuss how people with disabilities are portrayed as victims, heroes or villains in films (Common Portrayals, n.d.). The “victim” receives pity or sympathy from the audience due to their disability, but in reality, this does not lead them to resiliency or success (Common Portrayals, n.d.). The “hero” is portrayed as someone whose disability is considered a challenge that must be overcome. Again, this does not represent reality or assist in the success of the person with a disability (Common Portrayals, n.d.) The “villain” character usually uses their disability as the motivation for being evil or sinister, which does not represent reality (Common Portrayals, n.d.).


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Limitations This research project has some potential limitations that may have influenced our research findings. Even though each member of our group used the same coding system for each film, there still could have been bias introduced into our results. That is, some characters might have been coded more positively or negatively based on our impressions of that character or the movie itself. These impressions could lead to confirmation biases, where we search for information that confirms our preconceptions or even self-fulfilling prophecies where we perceive characters suddenly behaving in ways that match how we think or predict they should behave and not how they actually are behaving (Sternberg & Sternberg 2016). Another limitation involves the consistency of the implementation of our rating scale. Each member of our group was assigned to three films to view and code. This may raise concerns of inter-rater reliability in the consistency of the data. To address this issue,

future research should be conducted where each film is coded by two or more raters to ensure consistency in how the coding system is applied across all films.

Another limitation involves sample size, with a total of 15 films reviewed for our project. Insufficient sample size can decrease the preciseness of results in identifying significant relationships in the data. It may be beneficial in future research to increase the sample size to include a wider variety of films. Only 5 of the 15 films were produced before 2000, increasing the sample size may include older films and impact the results due to more traditional and older views towards those with disabilities.

Finally, researchers used only Disney and Pixar animated films in the inclusion criteria. It may be interesting to explore children’s animated films produced by other production companies, such as Universal Studios, to compare the differences and the similarities in how each company portrays film characters with disabilities.

In summary, our project showed that people with a disability are represented in animated films for children. Our results have implications for early childhood educators who can begin to have meaningful conversations with children about disability and how it is depicted in films. These conversations can have a significant impact on child development, including building positive social skills and resiliency.


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References Appelbaum, L. (2020). Disability Portrayal on Screen Hits a Landmark High, Yet Reinforces

Negative Stereotypes. Retrieved from https://www.respectability.org/2020/05/see-jane-study-disability-portrayals/

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2020). Disability and Health Overview.

Retrieved from https://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/disabilityandhealth/disability.html Common Portrayals of Persons with Disabilities. (n.d.). Retrieved from

https://mediasmarts.ca/diversity-media/persons-disabilities/common-portrayals-persons-disabilities

Ellis, K. (2007). Disability as visual shorthand: Theme and Style in Australian Cinema in the 1990s. Retrieved August 29, 2007 from Communication & Mass Media Complete database.

Kirkpatrick, S. R. (2009). The Disney-Fication of Disability: The Perpetuation of Hollywood Stereotypes of Disability in Disney’s Animated Films [Unpublished master’s thesis]. University of Akron.

Marris, P., Thornham, S., & Bassett, C. (Eds.). (2000). Media studies: A reader. New York

University Press.

Miller, A. S. (2014). Portrayals of mental illness and physical disability in 21st century children’s animation. College of Arts & Sciences Senior Honors Theses. Paper 40. http://doi.org/10.18297/honors/40

Riley, C. A. (2005). Disability and the media: Prescriptions for change. University Press

New England. Robinson, T., Callister, M., Magoffin, D., & Moore, J. (2007). The portrayal of older

characters in Disney animated films. Journal of Aging Studies, 21(3), 203-213. Sternberg, R. J., & Sternberg, K. (2016). Cognitive Psychology. Wadsworth.

Documents

The Image of Disability Depicted in Children’s Films