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 Social Psychology

Homophobia revisited: Gay people believed to direct unwanted sexual interest?

by Eric W. Dolan
July 5, 2013
in 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.

Lesbian girlThe Associated Press last year abandoned the use of the term “homophobia,” saying the word was an inaccurate way to describe the disapproval of gay, lesbian, bisexual or transgender individuals.

Anti-gay sentiments are not driven by a fear of LGBT people. Or are they?

Research published online May 6 in Social Psychological and Personality Science found general negativity among heterosexual college students was driven by the fear that some lesbian, gay and bisexual individuals directed unwanted sexual interest at them.

“In all, our paper demonstrated robustly that perceptions of unwanted sexual interest by certain sexual orientation groups predict sexual prejudice quite well among college students, and that other alternative explanations (e.g., that non-heterosexuals violate gender norms or threaten one’s sexual identity) cannot explain patterns of sexual prejudice,” Angela G. Pirlott of University of Wisconsin at Eau Claire, the lead author of the study, explained to PsyPost.

The study was co-authored by Steven L. Neuberg of Arizona State University.

The new hypothesis of sexual prejudice was derived from evolutionary and feminist perspectives, which both “point to the challenge to sexual autonomy posed by unwanted sexual interest,” the researchers explained in their study. “Unwanted sexual advances by nonheterosexuals may be viewed by heterosexuals as challenging that autonomy by creating coercive or uncomfortable sexual situations, or by placing doubt about one’s sexual orientation in others’ minds.”

The three part study of 533 heterosexual students found that sexual prejudice reflected perceptions of which sexual orientation groups direct unwanted sexual interest. In other words, heterosexual men who had a negative view of gay men viewed them as a source of unwanted sexual advances. The same was true of women.

“To assess this, we had participants rate their sexual interest in each of the six target groups (straight men, straight women, bisexual men, bisexual women, gay men, and lesbians),” Pirlott told PsyPost. “We then assessed their perceptions of the extent to which each of the those six target groups were interested in heterosexual men and women. Using a difference score in which we subtracted perceptions of target sexual interest from perceiver sexual interest, we determined which groups were perceived to direct unwanted sexual interest.”

“Women perceived unwanted sexual interest from bisexual men, bisexual women, and lesbians (but not gay men, who they perceived as directing mutual sexual disinterest) whereas men perceived unwanted sexual interest from gay and bisexual men (but not bisexual women, who they perceived as a mutual sexual interest target),” she added. “Patterns of prejudice mapped onto perceptions of unwanted sexual interest—heterosexual women viewed bisexual men, bisexual women, and lesbians negatively (but not gay men) and heterosexual men viewed bisexual and gay men unfavorably (but not bisexual women, for example).”

The study also examined whether an in-group vs. out-group mentality, gender–role violations or sexual identity threat could explain sexual prejudice among college students. All three have been proposed as driving factors behind anti-gay sentiments. But these three alternative explanations did not mirror sexual prejudice, while unwanted sexual interest did.

However, the researchers do not assume that unwanted sexual interest alone can fully explain sexual prejudice against gay, lesbian and bisexual individuals. Unwanted sexual interest may be a primary concern among college-aged individuals, but older individuals may be more worried about threats to social norms, for instance.

“[T]hinking about sexual prejudices, like thinking about all prejudices, requires we consider the perceived tangible challenges and opportunities people perceive others to pose,” Pirlott and Neuberg concluded in their study. “Finally, to explain sexual prejudice is not to justify it. Our goal was to enhance our understanding of why certain heterosexuals are prejudiced against sexual orientation minorities in the nuanced ways they are. Only through such understanding can effective means of reducing prejudices be designed and implemented.”

TweetSendScanShareSendPinShareShareShareShareShare

RELATED

New psychology study: Inner reasons for seeking romance are a top predictor of finding it
Sexism

People’s ideal leader isn’t hyper-masculine — new study shows preference for androgynous traits

July 18, 2025

People tend to picture ideal leaders as highly competent and caring—qualities often linked to both men and women. A new study suggests that aspirational leadership norms may help shift perceptions away from outdated gender stereotypes.

Read moreDetails
New psychology study: Inner reasons for seeking romance are a top predictor of finding it
Dating

New psychology study: Inner reasons for seeking romance are a top predictor of finding it

July 18, 2025

Think pressure to find a partner will help your search? Think again. New psychology research suggests motivations based on avoiding shame or meeting others' expectations are ineffective. Genuinely valuing connection is what actually predicts finding a relationship down the line.

Read moreDetails
Women favor men with attractive faces when making social bargaining decisions
Attractiveness

Women favor men with attractive faces when making social bargaining decisions

July 16, 2025

New research shows that women are more likely to accept offers from men with attractive faces and positive social interest in economic games, highlighting how appearance and perceived friendliness can influence fairness judgments in social decision-making.

Read moreDetails
Trump’s speeches stump AI: Study reveals ChatGPT’s struggle with metaphors
Artificial Intelligence

Trump’s speeches stump AI: Study reveals ChatGPT’s struggle with metaphors

July 15, 2025

Can an AI understand a political metaphor? Researchers pitted ChatGPT against the speeches of Donald Trump to find out. The model showed moderate success in detection but ultimately struggled with context, highlighting the current limits of automated language analysis.

Read moreDetails
Daughters who feel more attractive report stronger, more protective bonds with their fathers
Social Media

Moral outrage spreads petitions online—but doesn’t always inspire people to sign them

July 15, 2025

Posts expressing moral outrage were more likely to go viral but did not lead to more petition signatures, while posts using agentic, group identity, or prosocial language attracted more signatures despite receiving less online engagement.

Read moreDetails
Dark personality traits linked to “social zapping”: New study examines people who cancel plans at the last minute
Narcissism

Narcissistic individuals are more prone to maladaptive daydreaming

July 14, 2025

A new study suggests that narcissistic personality traits are linked to maladaptive daydreaming, with psychological defense mechanisms playing a key role in the relationship. The findings highlight how different defense styles may influence a person’s tendency to escape into fantasy.

Read moreDetails
Daughters who feel more attractive report stronger, more protective bonds with their fathers
Artificial Intelligence

People who use AI may pay a social price, according to new psychology research

July 14, 2025

Worried that using AI tools like ChatGPT at work makes you look lazy? New research suggests you might be right. A study finds employees who use AI are often judged more harshly, facing negative perceptions about their competence and effort.

Read moreDetails
New research shows the psychological toll of the 2024 presidential election
Anxiety

New research shows the psychological toll of the 2024 presidential election

July 13, 2025

Among young adults, stress from election news was linked to higher risks of depression and anxiety, while pre-election anticipatory stress was linked to depression only. Stress about the election outcome was not associated with either condition.

Read moreDetails

SUBSCRIBE

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

STAY CONNECTED

LATEST

Key Alzheimer’s protein found at astonishingly high levels in healthy newborns

People’s ideal leader isn’t hyper-masculine — new study shows preference for androgynous traits

Chronic pain rewires how the brain processes punishment, new research suggests

Common antidepressants and anti-anxiety drugs tied to major shifts in gut microbiome composition

New psychology study: Inner reasons for seeking romance are a top predictor of finding it

Scientists demonstrate that “AI’s superhuman persuasiveness is already a reality”

Cannabis alternative 9(R)-HHC may be as potent as THC, study in mice suggests

A single dose of lamotrigine causes subtle changes in emotional memory

         
       
  • 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