The Impact of a Short and Explicit Labeling Bias Video on Preservice Educator Behavioral Expectations

Even with increased efforts to close the academic gap by providing appropriate services to students with disabilities, there is still a gap in outcomes that requires identification of possible contributing factors. One often hypothesized mechanism for these continued disparities is the stigma associated with disability categorization or “labeling bias.” However, there is paucity of scholarship that addresses effective ways to reduce labeling bias within the classroom. This study draws from the dual-process model to experimentally investigate if a short video clip moves participants from System 1 implicit thinking to System 2 deliberate thinking resulting in reduced biases in expectations of behavior. This study utilized an experimental, between-subjects, vignette factorial design to measure pre-service educator perceptions of inappropriate behaviors between students with and without an identified disability label. The results of analysis of covariance and post hoc testing indicate significant interaction effects between the label of the student and the video clip. Specifically, biased responses by disability label were dependent on whether the participant was assigned to the video clip condition. Participants in the video condition indicated an expectation of reduced behaviors for the positively associated label condition and increased behaviors for the negatively associated label condition. Practical implications and limitations are discussed.