title: Let's not, and say we would: imagined and actual responses to witnessing homophobia.
abstract: We compared imagined versus actual affective and behavioral responses to witnessing a homophobic slur. Participants (N = 72) witnessed a confederate using a homophobic slur, imagined the same scenario, or were not exposed to the slur. Those who imagined hearing the slur reported significantly higher levels of negative affect than those who actually witnessed the slur, and nearly one half of them reported that they would confront the slur, whereas no participants who actually heard the slur confronted it. These findings reveal a discrepancy between imagined and real responses to homophobic remarks, and they have implications for the likelihood that heterosexuals will actually confront homophobic remarks.
authors.affiliation: a Center for Teaching and Learning , Stanford University , Stanford , California , USA.
authors.forename: Jennifer Randall
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Crosby
authors.forename: Johannes
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Wilson
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000339:Affect; D000378:Agonistic Behavior; D001290:Attitude; D005260:Female; D063509:Homophobia / Q000523:psychology*; D006801:Humans; D007092:Imagination; D008297:Male; D012929:Psychological Distance; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: affective forecasting; behavioral forecasting; discrimination; gay and lesbian college students; homophobia; majority group allies; responding to discrimination