Sexual orientation beliefs: Their relationship to anti-gay attitudes and biological determinist arguments

Hegarty, P. and Pratto, F. (2001). Sexual orientation beliefs: Their relationship to anti-gay attitudes and biological determinist arguments. Journal of Homosexuality, 41(1) 121 - 135.

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1300/J082v41n01_04

Abstract

Previous studies which have measured beliefs about sexual orientation with either a Single item, or a one-dimensional scale are discussed. In the present study beliefs were observed to vary along two dimensions: the "immutability" of sexual orientation and the "fundamentality" of a categorization of persons as heterosexuals and homosexuals. While conceptually related, these two dimensions were empirically distinct on several counts. They were negatively correlated with each other. Condemning attitudes toward lesbians and gay men were correlated positively with fundamentality hut negatively with immutability, Immutability, but not fundamentality, affected the assimilation of a biological determinist argument. The relationship between sexual orientation belief's and anti-gay prejudice is discussed and suggestions fur empirical studies of sexual orientation beliefs are presented. (C) 2001 by the Haworth Press, Inc. All rights reserved.

Viewing alternatives

Metrics

Item Actions

Export

You can export this page using these formats Digital Object Identifier - DOI