| dc.description.abstract | Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) has become a common topic in popular fiction, with many books, movies, and television shows featuring characters with autism. As such, consumers of popular fiction are being exposed to information about ASD and are given the opportunity to interact with these characters. However, with the exception of one study that found a positive impact of watching a popular television show about ASD (Stern & Barnes, 2019), research has yet to investigate the impact these depictions have on consumers’ knowledge about ASD and attitudes towards individuals on the spectrum. The purpose of this research was to investigate the impact popular novels have on knowledge about and attitudes towards ASD, compared to that of traditional college textbooks. Studies 1 and 2 expanded the work of Stern and Barnes (2019) by looking at popular novels featuring main characters with ASD who, in contrast to prior research, were not savants. Study 3 used a pre-/post-test design and modified novel and textbook excerpts that were designed to communicate the same information about ASD, in order to assess for the degree of learning and attitude change that occurs when the same information is being taught through two different types of reading material. In line with prior research, Study 1 found no difference in the number of correct behaviors identified by participants, while participants in the novel condition selected fewer incorrect answers. Participants in the novel condition also showed more positive attitudes towards individuals with ASD. Using an alternative assessment of knowledge and attitudes, Study 2 found that participants in the novel condition chose fewer correct and fewer incorrect responses to questions about ASD, instead reporting that they did not know the answer more often than participants in the textbook condition. Participants did not differ in their desired social distance from individuals with ASD. Using a pre-/post-test design, Study 3 found that participants in the novel and textbook conditions both showed the same amount of learning, with higher scores on the post-test assessment of knowledge than the pre-test. Participants in the novel condition showed significant improvement in their attitudes towards individual with ASD after reading, while those in the textbook condition showed more negative attitudes after reading the textbook chapter. | en_US |
