title: Does Closeness to Someone Who Is Gay, Lesbian, or Bisexual Influence Etiology Beliefs About Homosexuality?
abstract: Research suggests that contact with sexual minorities and etiology beliefs regarding the origins of homosexuality are associated with antigay bias; however, factors related to etiology beliefs have received little empirical attention. Our primary research question is: Does closeness to someone who is gay, lesbian, or bisexual influence etiology beliefs? Students (n = 851) from four U.S. universities completed an anonymous survey, and regression results indicated that contact and closeness were not significantly associated with etiology beliefs. Because both contact and relationship closeness were associated with antigay attitudes, and closeness demonstrated the largest effect, we tested three alternative structural equation models to determine if contact and closeness mediated etiology beliefs. Results suggested that contact and the degree of closeness are indirectly associated with students' etiology beliefs through antigay bias.
authors.affiliation: a Division of Social Work , Indiana University Northwest , Gary , Indiana , USA.
authors.forename: Jill M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Chonody
authors.affiliation: b School of Psychology, Social Work and Social Policy , University of South Australia , Adelaide , Australia.
authors.forename: Phillip S
authors.initials: PS
authors.lastname: Kavanagh
authors.affiliation: c Lyle S. Hallman Faculty of Social Work , Wilfrid Laurier University , Kitchener , Ontario , Canada.
authors.forename: Michael R
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Woodford
mesh_terms: D001290:Attitude; D003469:Culture; D005260:Female; D063509:Homophobia / Q000523:psychology*; D018452:Homosexuality, Female; D018451:Homosexuality, Male; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D000072339:Sexual and Gender Minorities; D013334:Students; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014481:United States; D014495:Universities
keywords: Antigay bias; college students; contact theory; etiology beliefs; homophobia; intergroup contact; sexual prejudice