Love Thy Neighbour? Social Attitudes Towards Persons With Disabilities

This paper examines whether exposure to persons with disabilities in the locality influences attitudes towards their social and economic inclusion. Using nationally representative household survey data from Vietnam and an instrumental variable strategy, we find that higher rates of disability in the local district increases perceptions of employers’ willingness to hire people with disabilities but also decreases support for the inclusion of children and persons with disabilities in regular schools, marriage and community living. The findings suggest that increased exposure can lead to more positive attitudes towards the capabilities of persons with disabilities but can lead to a backlash that reinforces social norms.