Portrayal of Characters in TV with Invisible Disabilities and the Effect of These Performances on Neurologically Atypical Viewers

Public project summary

My research project is about understanding how the media, specifically the TV industry, portrays people with "invisible disabilities," which are defined as physical, mental, or neurological conditions that limit a person’s movements, senses, or activities but is invisible to a casual observer. I want to understand how the actors' performance of these roles affects the audience, and if it is a factor in shaping their personal perception of people with disabilities. I seek to further my understanding of this topic by looking at how the people in my direct community/my high school react to clips of individuals with invisible disabilities such as dyslexia and autism. I want to understand if they feel that their views on that specific character affect the way they see all people with that disability or similar disabilities.