Attitude Change among College Students toward Homosexuality

Abstract

Although audio-visual materials are commonly used on college and university campuses, frequently those materials are not evaluated to determine what impact they may have on students' attitudes. The present research compared the effect of three audio-visual programs on attitudes of college students toward homosexuality. The three programs included a film that dealt with prejudice towards numerous groups but not towards homosexuals; a video-tape of a homosexual clergyman who discussed sexual variance with particular emphasis on homosexuality; and two films in which couples were explicitly engaging in homosexual behavior. A control group was used. All groups received a lecture about homosexuality.

Using a two-way analysis of covariance, significant differences were found among the groups. Subjects that watched the film on prejudice and the video-tape of a discussion of homosexuality, as well as the control group, were all significantly more tolerant toward homosexuality than subjects who watched the explicit films. The difference among groups was immediate only. Five weeks after exposure to audio-visual programs, there were no significant differences. There was no significant difference between males and females, either immediately after seeing the programs or five weeks later. Thus, attitudes of college students toward homosexuality can be altered and were not gender specific.     

EXPLAINING COMFORT WITH HOMOSEXUALITY AMONG SOCIAL WORK STUDENTS: THE IMPACT OF DEMOGRAPHIC,CONTEXTUAL, AND ATTITUDINAL FACTORS

While recent research explores the determinants of homophobia among college students, only a few studies look at the perceptions of homosexuals among social work students. Unfortunately these rare studies generally present a modest list of predictor variables or small sample sizes. To address this gap, this research explores the ways in which undergraduate social work students (N=748) from 12 colleges feel about homosexuality. In doing so, the work initially delineates the extent to which future social workers feel comfortable being around gay and lesbian persons. The work then explores the impact of specific social statuses, educational processes, and ideological beliefs. In the end, the role of homosexual peers is emphasized, as are the effects of familial attitudes, the perceived cause of homosexuality, conservative religious maxims, traditional gender role beliefs, and anxieties over AIDS.     

Issues of Gender in Promoting Tolerance for Homosexuality

Although a recent review suggests that students' attitudes toward homosexuality change as a result of taking a human sexuality course, research in this area has not adequately addressed the issues of gender of target and gender of respondent. Attitude measures rarely distinguish between lesbians and gay men; respondents are expected to hold more negative attitudes toward homosexuals of their own sex; and women are expected to be more readily influenced in some situations. This study shows that women and men did not differ significantly in their attitudes toward lesbians and gay men, but attitudes toward lesbians were more easily changed than attitudes toward gay men regardless of the gender of the respondent.     

A psychoanalytic study of contraception

The purpose of this study was to evaluate three sets of predictors of attitudes toward homosexuality: (a) anti‐black and orthodox religious attitudes, (b) sexual permissiveness, and (c) the effect of an introductory human sexuality course. Significantly more positive attitudes were expected for those holding more positive attitudes toward blacks and those who were more sexually permissive. A negative relationship was expected for those holding orthodox religious attitudes. Furthermore, information from a college course in human sexuality was expected to produce positive attitude change toward homosexuality. A survey instrument consisting of several scales and indexes measuring the aforementioned variables, as well as several indexes of sexual behavior, was administered to 194 students in a human sexuality course and 120 students in an introductory psychology course. Results showed significant regression coefficients for anti‐black attitudes and religious orthodoxy, confirming the predictions. Sexual permissiveness did not significantly add to the prediction of attitudes toward homosexuality, although the Pearson correlation was significant, r = .19 (p < .05). The experimental group showed significantly greater change in attitude toward homosexuality than the control group, F(1, 291) = 23.70, p < .001. A fourth objective was to assess sex differences on a series of sexual behavioral indexes. Results show a number of significant differences suggesting that sexual behavior still reflects a double standard in U.S. society.     

Attitudes toward lesbians, gay men, bisexual women, and bisexual men in Germany

Attitudes toward lesbians, gay men, bisexual women, and bisexual men were assessed in a national representative sample of 2,006 self-identified heterosexual women and men living in Germany. Replicating previous findings, younger people held more favorable attitudes than older people; women held more favorable attitudes than men; and men held more favorable attitudes toward female than male homosexuality, whereas women did not differentiate. However, women held more favorable attitudes toward homosexuals than toward bisexuals, whereas men did not differentiate. Knowing a homosexual person was an important predictor of attitudes, as was political party preference. Both same-sex and opposite-sex sexual attraction were substantially related with attitudes. Our findings support the notion that attitudes toward lesbians, gay men, bisexual women, and bisexual men are related but distinct constructs.     

Attitudes toward lesbians,gay men,bisexual women,and bisexual men in Germany

Attitudes toward lesbians, gay men, bisexual women, and bisexual men were assessed in a national representative sample of 2,006 self‐identified heterosexual women and men living in Germany. Replicating previous findings, younger people held more favorable attitudes than older people; women held more favorable attitudes than men; and men held more favorable attitudes toward female than male homosexuality, whereas women did not differentiate. However, women held more favorable attitudes toward homosexuals than toward bisexuals, whereas men did not differentiate. Knowing a homosexual person was an important predictor of attitudes, as was political party preference. Both same‐sex and opposite‐sex sexual attraction were substantially related with attitudes. Our findings support the notion that attitudes toward lesbians, gay men, bisexual women, and bisexual men are related but distinct constructs.     

大学生性别角色群体对同性恋态度的研究

同性恋是当今社会无法回避且必须正视的问题之一,高校校园中的同性恋状况更值得关注。对1288名大学生的调查发现,大学生中的未分化角色和双性化角色比例较高,大学生群体的性别角色与其对同性恋的态度具有一定关联性。同性恋在高校校园具有一定的比例,但大学生对同性恋的态度总体比较客观和宽容,同时也发现现有性别教育不能满足现实需要,应该通过防艾知识教育、心理健康教育、性别角色教育加强大学生的性别教育。     

Societal relationships and gender role in homosexuals: A cross‐cultural comparison

The proposition that feminine gender role in male homosexuals is a function of societal sex roles and attitudes toward homosexuality, as well as parental factors, was examined by administering tests of gender role, gender role conservatism, and attitudes toward parents to a sample of 176 Swedish and 163 Australian homosexual men. With homosexuality constant, it was found that feminine gender identity was more characteristic of the homosexuals in the more gender‐role rigid and anti‐homosexual society (Australia), independent of differences in perceptions of parents. This was taken to indicate support for the hypothesis that in anti‐homosexual societies with rigid gender roles, opposite‐sex gender identity in homosexuals will be, to some degree, a function of believing that heterosexual relationships are the only appropriate ones, and that individuals who are homosexual will thus validate same‐sex preference by opposite‐sex identification. The findings also support the more general hypothesis that gender role is based on societal, as well as parental, models.     

Gender,Religiosity, Spirituality,and Attitudes toward Homosexuality

This article investigates the relationship between religiosity, spirituality, gender, and attitudes toward homosexuality. The article augments the existing literature by examining the effects of religious affiliation, religiosity, and spirituality on attitudes toward homosexuality separately for men and women using the 2008 and 2010 General Social Surveys. Results indicate significant gender differences in attitudes toward homosexuality for two variables. Southern residence decreases tolerance among men, but not women. Also, men who self-identify as spiritual, but not religious, are more likely to report that homosexuality is not morally wrong than their more religious counterparts; however, a similar finding was not evident among the women who self-identified as spiritual.     

QUEER TREASONS: HOMOSEXUALITY AND IRISH NATIONAL IDENTITY

Queer Treasons suggests how and why homosexuality has been placed outside the limited discourse of what constitutes ‘Irishness.’ I argue that, since the early part of the twentieth century, homosexuality has been represented as ‘foreign’ to nationalisms in Ireland, particularly when the borders of the nation are perceived to be under threat. I further suggest that the threat of homosexuals, as represented in Irish political discourse, points more generally toward an instability in the discourses of nation itself.     

Examining the Relationship Between Female Inmate Homosexual Behavior and Attitudes Toward Homosexuality and Homosexuals

Most sociologists and penologists tend to shy away from studying inmate attitudes toward homosexuality and homosexuals. Researchers within the corrections field who focus on prison sexuality typically conduct their research on consensual samesex sexual behavior and sexual coercion. The focus of the present study, however, was to ascertain female inmates' attitudes toward homosexuality and homosexuals while exploring the role ofseveral predictor variables on their attitudes. Specifically, the authors examine the relationship between female inmate homosexual behavior and attitudes toward homosexuality and homosexuals. Because of the number of items pertaining to attitudes toward homosexuality and homosexuals, factor analysis was conducted to examine whether the items measured similar constructs. Results ofthe factor analysis revealed two distinct factors/issues:civil/personal rights and personal deviance models. The mostsalient, and only statistically significant, variables in the civil/personal rights model were age, homosexual activity prior to incarceration, and homosexual activity during incarceration. Homosexual behavior during incarceration was the only statistically significant predictor of the personal deviance model.     

Teachers' Views of Students with Gay or Lesbian Parents

Eighty-three female and 24 male teachers responded to an anonymous questionnaire exploring four aspects of teachers' views of students who have gay or lesbian parents: (1) exposure to and general knowledge about homosexuality, (2) attitudes towards gays and lesbians, (3) interactions with gay or lesbian parents, including school practices and policies, and (4) beliefs about problems experienced by students with gay and lesbian parents. Most teachers knew some gay males and lesbians, had limited education and knowledge about homosexuality, and possessed moderately tolerant attitudes towards gays and lesbians. They believed that students with gay or lesbian parents had more problems in social interaction but were more mature, tolerant, and self-reliant than other students. Open-ended questions about gay and lesbian parents and their children revealed a wide range of answers, ranging from very supportive to noticeably hostile.     

Homosexualities in the Netherlands

Loving relationships between two men, or between two women, are by no means generally accepted in the Netherlands. Prejudices, mistrust, and aversion on the part of those surrounding them are the daily lot of homosexuals. Young people who are attracted to members of their own sex have understandable difficulties in dealing with this state of affairs. Becoming aware of their own homosexual feelings, looking for contact, building up relationships, developing a measure of self-esteem—all become especially difficult when there is little support, understanding, and no role models for homosexual lifestyles to be found in the immediate environment.In this article we will successively examine the attitudes of the Dutch population toward homosexuality and the living situation of homosexuals in the Netherlands. A more detailed report will be given of a comparative investigation of homosexual and heterosexual boys and girls carried out by the author.     

A Cross-Cultural Assessment of Familial Factors in the Development of Female Homosexuality

Nonclinical samples of 224 heterosexual and 205 homosexual females were interviewed with regard to their recalled childhood experiences in Brazil, Peru, the Philippines, and the United States. Twelve items were used to examine differences between heterosexual and homosexual females. These are: "normal" family, absent motherlfather, wanner parent, stronger parent, hostile father, hostile mother, detached/distant father, detached/distant mother, seductive mother, seductive father, father's attitude toward sex, mother's attitude toward sex. Seven items produced no significant differences between homosexuals and heterosexuals in any of the four societies. Another five items resulted in some signif~cant differences between these groups; however, these differences were inconsistent in all four societies. Combining the data for all four societies resulted in only one item-the detacheddistant mother-exhibiting signif~cant differences between homosexual and heterosexual groups. It is not clear whether the detachedldistant mother is a cause of or a reaction to emerging homosexuality. On the whole, these cross-cultural data provide little support for the role of familial factors in the development of female homosexual orientation.     

Black heterosexuals’ attitudes toward lesbians and gay men in the United States

Although the direction and intensity of Black heterosexuals’ attitudes toward homosexuality have been topics for considerable speculation, empirical data from representative samples previously have not been available. In the current article we report findings from a two‐wave telephone survey with a national probability sample of 391 Black heterosexual adults. Results indicated that negative attitudes toward homosexuality are widespread but do not appear to be more prevalent among Blacks than among Whites. Gender differences in Black heterosexuals’ attitudes (men's attitudes toward gay men were more negative than their attitudes toward lesbians or women's attitudes toward gay men) appeared to result primarily from men's greater tendency to regard male homosexuality as unnatural. The single most important predictor of attitudes was the attribution of choice to sexual orientation: Respondents who believed that homosexuality is beyond an individual's control expressed significantly more favorable attitudes toward gay men and lesbians than did respondents who regarded homosexuality as a choice. Consistent with previous research in predominantly White samples, respondents were more likely to express favorable attitudes if they were highly educated, unmarried, politically liberal, registered to vote and not religious, and if they included Blacks in their concept of gay men. In addition, respondents reported more favorable attitudes if they had experienced personal contact with gay men or lesbians, but this was not a significant predictor of attitudes when other variables were statistically controlled. Possible differences between Blacks’ and Whites’ social constructions of sexual orientation are discussed.     

Gender Gaps in Public Opinion about Lesbians and Gay Men

Using data from a 1999 national RDD survey (N = 1,335), thisarticle examines gender gaps in heterosexuals' attitudes towardlesbians, gay men, and a variety of topics related to homosexuality.Attitudes toward lesbians differed from attitudes toward gaymen in several areas, and significant differences were observedbetween male and female heterosexual respondents. Survey participantsgenerally were more likely to regard gay men as mentally ill,supported adoption rights for lesbians more than for gay men,and had more negative personal reactions to gay men than tolesbians. Overall, heterosexual women were more supportive thanmen of employment protection and adoption rights for gay people,more willing to extend employee benefits to same-sex couples,and less likely to hold stereotypical beliefs about gay people.Heterosexual men's negative reactions to gay men were at theroot of these gender differences. Of all respondent-by-targetcombinations, heterosexual men were the least supportive ofrecognition of same-sex relationships and adoption rights forgay men, most likely to believe that gay men are mentally illand molest children, and most negative in their affective reactionsto gay men. Heterosexual men's response patterns were affectedby item order, suggesting possible gender differences in thecognitive organization of attitudes toward gay men and lesbians.The findings demonstrate the importance of differentiating lesbiansfrom gay men as attitude targets in survey research.     

IMPLICATIONS OF INTERNET TECHNOLOGY FOR MEDICAL SOCIOLOGY IN THE NEW MILLENNIUM

This research examines how parental heterosexism—negative attitudes toward homosexuals and homosexuality—and other family characteristics relate to the development of children's attitudes toward people with HIV/AIDS (PWA). Attention is directed to the overall relationship between parents’ and children's attitudes and to the potential mechanisms through which these linkages are manifested. Based on social learning theories of childhood socialization, a range of mechanisms is considered, focusing on heterosexist attitudes in parents and communication with children about AIDS. Findings indicate that parental attitudes concerning homosexuals influence children's attitudes toward PWA, implying that there can be negative as well as positive consequences of parents’ beliefs on children's attitudes. The possibility of negative parental effects on children's prejudices toward PWA suggests that in-school HIV/AIDS education at younger ages is more important than previously thought.     

Societal Norms Rather Than Sexual Orientation Influence Kin Altruism and Avuncularity in Tribal Urak-Lawoi,Italian, and Spanish Adult Males

Homosexual males could balance their low fitness by increasing benefits to relatives either through kin-directed altruism or by avuncularity (altruistic behavior toward the children of siblings). Evidence in support of kin selection and avuncularity includes the fact that homosexuals seem to be more empathic and altruistic than heterosexuals. Other studies have not confirmed behaviors that increase kin altruism in homosexuals. We explored altruistic behavior and avuncularity in a sample of 278 subjects, either homosexual or heterosexual, from three populations: Italian, Spanish, and Urak-Lawoi, a Southeast Asian tribal population. Among the Urak-Lawoi, the kathoeys, androphilic men who dress and behave as women, were compared with heterosexuals. All populations were rated for societal norms on the expression of affiliative behavior. No greater kin altruism or avuncularity among the kathoeys or in homosexuals in either Mediterranean population was found. Greater avuncularity and kin-directed altruism, independent of sexual orientation, were found among the Urak-Lawoi, and these traits were the least prevalent among the Italians, corresponding to different societal norms. The increase in kin altruism and avuncularity was associated in all males with societal differences and norms on general altruism toward nonkin children, suggesting it is not an adaptive design to maintain homosexuality in humans.     

Nursing care challenges: homosexual psychiatric patients.

1. Stereotypes of homosexual behavior may negatively affect the nursing care for homosexual patients. Nurses must closely examine their attitudes toward homosexuals. To be able to provide quality care to homosexual patients, nurses must feel comfortable and fully aware of their own attitudes toward sexuality and homosexuality. 2. Nurses stand in a unique position to foster acceptance of homosexuality by assuming the advocacy role and addressing the stereotypes regarding homosexuality for both individual clients and the community. 3. Nurses need to provide an atmosphere of acceptance for homosexual patients by creating an environment where sexuality can be discussed in nonthreatening ways.     

Demographic Predictors of Consistency and Change in Heterosexuals' Attitudes toward Homosexual Behavior over a Two-Year Period

This study investigated demographic predictors of consistency and change in heterosexual people's attitudes toward homosexual behavior. A nationally representative sample of Australian men and women were recruited via random digit dialling in 2004 through 2005. Participants completed annual computer-assisted telephone interviews over the next five years. Questions about attitudes toward male and female homosexual behavior were assessed at Wave 1 (2004–2005) and Wave 3 (2006–2007) of the study. The majority of the sample reported tolerance of both male and female homosexual behavior (with women slightly more tolerant than men). Multivariate analyses showed that those who regularly attended religious services were more likely to consistently disapprove of homosexual behavior and more likely to change from tolerant to disapproving. Among those who were initially tolerant, younger respondents and those with higher educations were less likely to become homophobic. The results of this study show that individual attitudes toward homosexual behavior are open to change, particularly toward a more tolerant position. Religiosity appears to be consistently associated with the development and reinforcement of homophobic tendencies.