Models of deafness

Frameworks explaining perspectives on deafness: cultural, social, and medical models The three models of deafness are rooted in either social or biological sciences. These are the cultural model, the social model, and the medical (or infirmity) model. The model through which the deaf person is viewed can impact how they are treated as well as their own self perception. In the cultural model, the Deaf belong to a culture in which they are neither infirm nor disabled, but rather have their own fully grammatical and natural language. In the medical model, deafness is viewed undesirable, and it is to the advantage of the individual as well as society as a whole to "cure" this condition. The social model seeks to explain difficulties experienced by deaf individuals that are due to their environment. Cultural model Within the cultural model of deafness, Deaf people see themselves as a linguistic and cultural minority community rather than a "disability group". Advocates of Deaf culture use a capital "D" to distinguish cultural Deafness from deafness as a pathology. Deaf culture is distinct in that the inability to hear is not seen as a "loss" or something that negatively impacts an indiv