Subscribe
The latest psychology and neuroscience discoveries.
My Account
  • Mental Health
  • Social Psychology
  • Cognitive Science
  • Psychopharmacology
  • Neuroscience
  • About
No Result
View All Result
PsyPost
PsyPost
No Result
View All Result
Home Exclusive Relationships and Sexual Health

Bi+ identity visibility is positively associated with several measures of psychological well-being

by Eric W. Dolan
May 20, 2023
in Relationships and Sexual Health, Social Psychology
Share on TwitterShare on Facebook
Stay informed on the latest psychology and neuroscience research—follow PsyPost on LinkedIn for daily updates and insights.

New research sheds light on bi+ identity visibility and its relationship with psychological well-being. The findings have been published in Psychology of Sexual Orientation and Gender Diversity.

The term “bi+” is an inclusive term used to encompass various identities that fall under the bisexual spectrum. It is an expansion of the traditional label “bisexual” to recognize and include individuals who are attracted to more than one gender or who may use alternative identity labels such as pansexual, fluid, or queer.

Despite comprising the largest proportion of the U.S. LGBT population, bi+ individuals often report feeling invisible. The researchers sought to investigate whether bi+ visibility contributed to higher well-being, particularly for those who consider their bi+ identity to be central to their overall identity. They were also interested in examining relationship factors that might be related to greater bi+ visibility.

“I was interested in exploring this topic because bi+ people are often overlooked in society, including in social psychological research about relationships,” said study author Emma McGorray, a PhD candidate at Northwestern University. “I wanted to learn more about bi+ people’s experiences and what helps them to sustain feelings that their identities are visible (known, believed, and acknowledged by others) when they’re in different kinds of relationships.”

The researchers conducted a cross-sectional survey with 450 bi+ participants recruited from the research platform Prolific. Participants responded to items measuring subjective bi+ identity visibility, which assessed the extent to which they felt their bi+ identity was visible and acknowledged by others.

The researchers also examined the centrality of bi+ identity, participants’ openness about their bi+ identity, and their psychological well-being, including measures of mental health, life satisfaction, and depression. Additionally, the study investigated participants’ perceptions of partner verification, exploring how partners treated, recognized, and affirmed their bi+ identities.

McGorray and her colleagues found that greater visibility of one’s bi+ identity (e.g. “In general, I feel that people acknowledge my bi+ identity”) was associated with higher levels of well-being, particularly for those who considered their bi+ identity to be central to their overall sense of self. However, visibility did not uniformly contribute to well-being. The link between visibility and well-being was influenced by the centrality of one’s bi+ identity.

The researchers also found that individuals in same-gender relationships or those with gay/lesbian or bi+ partners tended to experience a greater sense of visibility. Being in a same-gender relationship or having a non-heterosexual partner may provide additional visibility-boosting experiences beyond simply being “out” about one’s identity. On the other hand, bi+ individuals in mixed-gender relationships, especially with heterosexual partners, reported lower levels of visibility.

“The main takeaway from this study is that feeling that one’s bi+ identity is visible to others is linked to greater well-being, and the gender and sexual orientation of bi+ people’s partners is linked to these feelings of visibility,” McGorray told PsyPost.

“Bi+ people in relationships with people of their own gender tend to feel their identities are more visible than do bi+ people in relationships with people of a different gender. But partner sexual orientation also plays a role — bi+ people with partners who are gay, lesbian, or bi+ tend to feel more visible than bi+ people with partners who are heterosexual.”

But the study, like all research, includes some caveats.

“One major caveat is that we wouldn’t expect visibility to always be a good thing,” McGorray explained. “Having a more visible identity–e.g., being viewed as LGBTQ+ by others — may put people at greater risk of things like discrimination that can have clear negative effects on well-being.”

“More research is needed to disentangle when visibility may present challenges to well-being and when it may bolster well-being, as is research that attempts to understand how bi+ people negotiate that tension.”

The study, “Psychology of Sexual Orientation and Gender Diversity Bi+ Identity Visibility and Well-Being in the Context of Romantic Relationships“, was authored by Emma L. McGorray, Eli J. Finkel, and Brian A. Feinstein.

TweetSendScanShareSendPinShareShareShareShareShare

RELATED

Gynandromorph research offers insight into the complexities of male sexual attraction
Sexism

Eye-tracking study shows people fixate longer on female aggressors than male ones

June 23, 2025

People pay more visual attention to female aggressors than male ones, but do not consistently judge their actions as more intentional or blameworthy, suggesting that female aggression is seen as unexpected rather than more morally significant.

Read moreDetails
Breakups can trigger trauma in emerging adults
Relationships and Sexual Health

Romantic breakups follow a two-stage decline that begins years before the split, study finds

June 23, 2025

A new study shows that romantic relationships often begin to unravel one to two years before they officially end. Researchers found a two-phase pattern of decline in satisfaction that could help identify when relationships are heading for a breakup.

Read moreDetails
It’s not digital illiteracy: Here’s why older adults are drawn to dubious news
Social Media

Believing “news will find me” is linked to sharing fake news, study finds

June 22, 2025

People who rely on social media to “stumble upon” news are more prone to spreading misinformation, according to a new longitudinal study.

Read moreDetails
Political ambivalence has a surprising relationship with support for violence
Authoritarianism

New study sheds light on the psychological roots of collective violence

June 21, 2025

A new study from Lebanon finds that people with authoritarian beliefs tend to oppose violence against political leaders, while those high in social dominance orientation are more likely to support violence against rival group members.

Read moreDetails
Scientists observe reduced emotional distress in children living near greenery
Racism and Discrimination

Adults’ beliefs about children and race shift when a child’s race is specified, study finds

June 21, 2025

Specifying a child’s race alters how adults perceive their awareness of race and racism, according to new research. Black children are viewed as less “color-evasive” and more racially aware at earlier ages than White children or generic “children.”

Read moreDetails
Study helps untangle the complicated relationship between psychopathy and emotional awareness
Psychopathy

Psychopathic individuals recognize unfairness but are less likely to punish it

June 21, 2025

A new study shows that individuals with higher psychopathic traits are less likely to punish unfair behavior, especially when it costs them personally. The research suggests self-interest, not a lack of moral understanding, drives their reluctance to enforce social norms.

Read moreDetails
The neuroscience of why we cry happy tears
Social Psychology

The neuroscience of why we cry happy tears

June 20, 2025

Why do people cry happy tears? Neuroscience suggests these emotional outbursts occur when the brain becomes overwhelmed by joy, nostalgia, or relief. Far from being irrational, crying during joyful moments helps restore balance and deepen human connection.

Read moreDetails
Epistemic mistrust and dogmatism predict preference for authoritarian-looking leaders
Authoritarianism

Epistemic mistrust and dogmatism predict preference for authoritarian-looking leaders

June 20, 2025

A new study suggests that the way people learn to trust others early in life can shape their political ideology and preference for strong, dominant leaders—though not directly, but through dogmatic thinking and broader political attitudes.

Read moreDetails

SUBSCRIBE

Go Ad-Free! Click here to subscribe to PsyPost and support independent science journalism!

STAY CONNECTED

LATEST

Exposure to heavy metals is associated with higher likelihood of ADHD diagnosis

Eye-tracking study shows people fixate longer on female aggressors than male ones

Romantic breakups follow a two-stage decline that begins years before the split, study finds

Believing “news will find me” is linked to sharing fake news, study finds

A common parasite not only invades the brain — it can also decapitate human sperm

Almost all unmarried pregant women say that the fetus resembles the father, study finds

New neuroscience research reveals brain antioxidant deficit in depression

Scientists uncover kidney-to-brain route for Parkinson’s-related protein spread

         
       
  • Contact us
  • Privacy policy
  • Terms and Conditions
[Do not sell my information]

Welcome Back!

Login to your account below

Forgotten Password?

Retrieve your password

Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.

Log In

Add New Playlist

Subscribe
  • My Account
  • Cognitive Science Research
  • Mental Health Research
  • Social Psychology Research
  • Drug Research
  • Relationship Research
  • About PsyPost
  • Contact
  • Privacy Policy