Who opposes rights for persons with physical and intellectual disabilities?

Research on human and civil rights has only rarely addressed people's attitudes toward disability rights in the context of American society. This study was designed to gain a better understanding of why certain individuals might oppose expanded rights for people who have disabilities. Pearson's correlations revealed that individuals high on social dominance orientation (SDO) and right‐wing authoritarianism (RWA) were more likely to reject rights for persons with intellectual and physical disabilities than individuals scoring lower on these factors. Structural equation analyses indicated that both SDO and RWA are directly implicated in opposition to expanded rights for these groups. Moreover, the effects of SDO on rights attitudes appear to be mediated through internal motivation to respond without prejudice.