Exploring the relationship between public opinion and personal attitudes and behavior toward lesbians and gay men: social conformity revisited.
This study investigated the relationship between social conformity, gender-role egalitarianism, and personal levels of heterosexism, or prejudice based on same-sex orientation. Mock public opinion polls of a positive or negative nature regarding same-sex orientation were used to study attitudinal and behavioral change of participants and attitude-behavior consistency. The study sample included 194 undergraduate students from a Midwestern university. A correlation existed between participants' traditional gender role beliefs and heterosexism. Participants who viewed the positive public opinion poll demonstrated behavioral support for a lesbian and gay organization, as did participants with positive attitudes toward lesbians and gay men. Findings are analyzed within a social prejudice framework.
Undergraduate Psychology Department, Cardinal Stritch University, Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53217, USA. cjhetzel@stritch.edu
Carole J
CJ
Hetzel
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001290:Attitude; D005260:Female; D005783:Gender Identity; D018452:Homosexuality, Female / Q000523:psychology*; D018451:Homosexuality, Male / Q000523:psychology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D015146:Midwestern United States; D011287:Prejudice; D011639:Public Opinion; D012925:Social Conformity; D055815:Young Adult