Impacts of Knowledge and Familiarity on Differences in Explicit Stigma and Implicit Biases Toward Autism Across France

Abstract

Autistic people frequently experience stigma that can be expressed whether consciously or unconsciously. This study examined how familiarity with autistic people, factual knowledge about autism, sociodemographic characteristics, and cultural value orientations relate to three facets of autism stigma: desired social distance, stereotypical beliefs, and implicit bias. French adults (N = 277) completed online measures of autism knowledge, familiarity, social distance, and stereotypes, a cultural orientation scale, and an Implicit Association Test assessing automatic evaluations of autism. Results showed that familiarity and knowledge about autism were both associated with lower explicit stigma, while only familiarity was linked to a reduction in implicit prejudice. Moreover, the regression analysis has shown that the different constructs of stigma evaluated in our study (social distance, stereotype, and implicit bias) were predicted by different variables. Particularly, social distance was predicted by stronger stereotypes, male gender, and more individualistic values, whereas stereotypes were higher among older, less-educated participants with limited knowledge, less familiarity, and greater social distance. Implicit bias was higher among men, participants endorsing vertical collectivism, and those with lower levels of intimate familiarity. These results were discussed within the framework of multidimensional approaches to assessing and reducing stigmatization in a French sociocultural context.

Lay Abstract

Autistic people often face stigma, which means they may be judged or treated unfairly by others. This stigma can appear in different ways, such as wanting to keep distance from autistic people, holding negative beliefs about them, or having automatic negative reactions without being aware of it (unconscious). This study explored which factors are linked to these different forms of stigma in adults living in France. We focused on how much people know about autism, whether they have personal experience with autistic people, as well as personal and cultural values, and how all these factors influence stigma. The results show that people who know more about autism and who have more contact with autistic people tend to express fewer negative beliefs and are more comfortable interacting with them. However, only close personal contact was linked to fewer automatic negative reactions. The study also shows that different forms of stigma are influenced by different factors such as male gender and less-educated people, meaning stigma is not a single, simple issue. These findings suggest that reducing stigma requires sharing knowledge about autism, but other factors must be taken into account. Encouraging meaningful and positive contact with autistic people, while also taking cultural and social factors into account, may be important for improving attitudes and inclusion in everyday life.