The absence or withdrawal of social recognition becomes an impediment of capacities for self-realisation  Honneth calls these experiences misrecognition. Misrecognitive experiences impact on a person’s psyche, and conception of self, or sense of self (Honneth Citation 1995), possibly resulting in people developing a “confining or demeaning or contemptible picture of themselves” 


Misrecognitive Experiences

 The theory states that social recognition is fundamental to human interactions and supports positive development and maintenance of self-identity (Robinson et al. Citation 2023). Honneth (Citation 1995) defines these modes of recognition as: (a) ‘love’ or care, which enables self-confidence; (b) ‘rights’, which enables self-respect; and (c) ‘solidarity’ or social esteem, which enables self-esteem.


University of North Texas

The study applied recognition theory to data from interviews using creative methods (photos and art) with 11 pairs of people (6 women 5 men) with support workers about their reactions to negative feeelings.


Purpose of Study

Tomaszewski, P., Fisher, K. R., Robinson, S., & Ikäheimo, H. (2026). Rethinking how people with cognitive disability complain. Disability & Society, 41(2), 521–541. https://doi.org/10.1080/09687599.2025.2536586 



Rethinking how people with cognitive disability complain

For the purpose of the study, the difference between complaining and complaint can be articulated as: all complaints are complaining, but not all complaining are complaints.


Complaining vs. Complaints

Recognition Theory

The findings set up a conceptual understanding of complaining by people with cognitive disability. Understanding how people complain might make it easier for workers to notice and respond when people have a problem.


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