Multiple dimensions of attitudes about homosexuality: development of a multifaceted scale measuring attitudes toward homosexuality.
Attitudes toward homosexuality are complex. To get a comprehensive view on the attitudes of people, different dimensions need to be included in research. Based on a review of the literature, we distinguish five dimensions: acceptance of homosexuality in a general sense; attitude toward equal rights; reactions to homosexuality "at close quarters"; reactions to homosexuality in public; and so-called modern homonegativity. In a study on a representative sample of Dutch Defence personnel (N = 1,607) we tested this model. Structural equation modeling of several items measuring the attitude toward homosexuality offers a six factor solution. These six factors are more or less comparable to the five dimensions we distinguished. The dimension "reactions to homosexuality at close quarters" is, however, empirically split in a dimension on affective reactions to homosexuality and homosexual persons in general and a dimension on affective reaction to homosexual friends or acquaintances.
BMC, Amersfoort, The Netherlands.
Anna
A
Adolfsen
Jurjen
J
Iedema
Saskia
S
Keuzenkamp
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001290:Attitude; D003625:Data Collection; D005260:Female; D006716:Homosexuality; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008960:Models, Psychological; D011581:Psychological Tests; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D055815:Young Adult