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Egalitarianism and Sexual Prejudice: the Role of Ingroup Distinctiveness Motives

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  13 October 2015

Juan Manuel Falomir-Pichastor ,
Jacques Berent ,
Gabriel Mugny  and
Klea Faniko
Juan Manuel Falomir-Pichastor*
Affiliation:
University of Geneva (Switzerland)
Jacques Berent
Affiliation:
University of Geneva (Switzerland)
Gabriel Mugny
Affiliation:
University of Geneva (Switzerland)
Klea Faniko
Affiliation:
University of Geneva (Switzerland)
*
*Correspondence concerning this article should be addressed to Juan M. Falomir-Pichastor. University of Geneva. Social Psychology (FPSE). 40 Bd. du Pont-d'Arve. CH-1205. Geneva, Switzerland. E-mail: Juan.Falomir@unige.ch
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Abstract

The present research examined the hypothesis that heterosexual men’s motivation to differentiate their ingroup from gay men moderates the link between egalitarianism and sexual prejudice. In two experiments conducted in Switzerland (N = 74) and Ecuador (N = 104), we assessed heterosexual men’s endorsement of egalitarian values and experimentally manipulated scientific evidence supporting or refuting the existence of biological differences between heterosexual and gay men (the biological theory). The main dependent variable was attitude towards homosexuality. As predicted, the interaction between egalitarianism and the biological theory was significant in both experiments, t(67) = 3.18, p = .002, ηp2 = .13, and t(100) = 2.26, p = .026, ηp2 = .04, respectively. Egalitarianism increased positive attitudes towards homosexuality only when science supported the existence of biological differences between heterosexual and gay men. We discuss the relevance of this finding to intergroup relations.

Keywords

egalitarianismingroup distinctivenessintergroup differencesbiological determinismsexual prejudice
Type
Research Article
Information
The Spanish Journal of Psychology , Volume 18 , 2015 , E80
Copyright
Copyright © Universidad Complutense de Madrid and Colegio Oficial de Psicólogos de Madrid 2015 

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