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Representations of disabled athletes that highlight challenges instead of accomplishments provoke pity and diminish perceived competence, reinforcing feelings of “otherness” and stereotypes, according to a researcher from the University of Michigan.
Conversely, portrayals that underscore achievements generate admiration and convey competence while challenging stereotypes, asserts Dae Hee Kwak, associate professor of sport management at the School of Kinesiology.
These narratives characterized as “inspiration porn” serve as popular storytelling tropes that objectify disabled athletes as sources of motivation for nondisabled viewers, he observes.
Inspiration porn highlights the physical disability or “tragedy” the athlete has faced, rather than their accomplishments. This method is often critiqued within the disabled community, yet little is known about how this type of narrative influences consumer attitudes in marketing communications.
To investigate this issue, Kwak and his associate Namkyeong Jang from Pai Chai University in Korea carried out two studies to examine the effects on brand perception and related outcomes when the narrative highlighted a disabled athlete’s achievements instead of their challenges or disabilities.
In the first study, participants read two fabricated news articles about a new partnership between a disabled athlete and a sponsoring company. One article focused on overcoming adversity, while the other emphasized the athlete’s accomplishments.
The second study involved participants viewing two advertisements. The inspiration porn ad depicted the athlete sitting passively in a racing wheelchair, hands resting in his lap. The caption states: “I Was Born with Spinal Bifida. This is the Body I Have Been Given.” By contrast, the achievement-oriented ad showed the athlete leaning forward in the wheelchair, hands pumping behind him. The caption reads: “400 Meters in 46 Seconds, Just With My Hands. Two-Time Paralympic Medalist.”
In the first study, participants experienced reduced pity but a comparable level of admiration towards the achievement-centric portrayals. They also perceived those athletes as more capable. In the second study, participants conveyed higher admiration levels than those in the inspiration porn scenario. This increase in admiration positively influenced brand perception and intentions to support the parasport community.
“Not all ‘awww moments’ are created equal,” Kwak noted. “While inspiration porn may tug at the heartstrings, it usually elicits pity—a downward comparison emotion that can feel disempowering and even exacerbate stigma. On the other hand, achievement-focused narratives invoke admiration, emphasizing competence and agency. This emotional differentiation between pity and admiration based on varied messaging was our most intriguing discovery.”
The correlation was even more pronounced in the second study, which utilized visual stimuli. However, advertisers continue to utilize inspiration porn due to its convenience and effectiveness, he explains.
“The media recognizes that images of visible disabilities attract more attention than those that are not as apparent, and people tend to harbor positive sentiments towards them,” Kwak remarked. “Astute advertisers would feature these athletes while crafting a success story, often following a common narrative—’Look how they triumphed over their challenges. So inspiring.’
“Inspiration porn is convenient. Consider poverty porn, where some charitable organizations showcase crying infants in tattered clothes to invoke feelings of pity or guilt to encourage donations. This approach doesn’t require effort to understand the true lives of the athletes but simplifies their existence as unfortunate—something to be conquered.”
One unexpected insight, Kwak reveals, is that individuals who hold more pronounced stigma toward disabled people experienced increased pity and diminished admiration.
“This implies that pity is closely intertwined with stigma, but adapting narratives to invoke admiration may aid in breaking it down,” he stated.
Kwak emphasizes that while inspirational messages are prevalent in marketing, portraying disabled individuals solely through the lens of their disabilities obscures their identities and the essence of their experiences.
“Inspiration should not stem from ‘overcoming’ disability but should arise from the daily effort, commitment, and resilience they exhibit,” he stated. “This research implores journalists, sponsors, and athletes to transcend the portrayal of disability as the focal point. Instead, emphasize athletes’ skills, dedication, and unique stories.
“Highlighting competence promotes admiration over pity, which is negatively correlated with stigma and contributes to more uplifting narratives for all audiences.”
The findings are published in The Journal of Business Ethics.
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