Victim-blaming tendency toward people with AIDS among college students.
The victim-blaming tendency toward people with AIDS was examined in relation to gender, fraternity-sorority affiliation, classification (freshmen vs. others), religion (Catholic vs. others), and academic major (business college vs. others) in a survey of 818 students at a midwestern state university in the United States. Desired social distance from gay men and lesbians, the intervening variable in these relations, significantly mediated the indirect effect of fraternity-sorority affiliation, classification, and gender on the victim-blaming tendency. Gender and desired social distance were found to be significant direct determinants of the victim-blaming tendency toward people with AIDS. The study suggests that attitudes toward gay men and lesbians must change if attitudes toward people with AIDS are to change.
Lee
M Y
MY
Department of Sociology, Iowa State University, Ames 50011-1070, USA.
Campbell
A R
AR
Mulford
C L
CL
D000163:Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome; D000328:Adult; D019548:Crime Victims; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D013334:Students / Q000523:psychology*; D014495:Universities