Attitudes toward homosexuals among students at a Canadian university

TitleAttitudes toward homosexuals among students at a Canadian university
Publication TypeJournal Article
Year of Publication1999
AuthorsSchellenberg EG, Hirt J, Sears A
JournalSex Roles
Volume40
Pagination139-152
KeywordsAttitudes, Business, Diversity Institute Literature Review, Gay men, Homophobia, Homosexuality, Lesbians, Men, Science, Social science, Undergraduates, University
URL<Go to ISI>://000078793900009
SummaryThis article is a report on a study that surveyed the attitudes toward gay men and lesbians among college students from different fields of study. The key findings were that attitudes toward gay men were more negative than toward lesbians, Science and Business students had more negative attitudes toward gay men than Art or Social Science students, and that male students had more negative attitudes than female students. The authors also found that the attitudes toward gay men and lesbians become more positive (or less negative) with the number of years spent in college, especially among male students. The article suggests that a college education may promote a reduction in anti-homosexual prejudice among young people.
Extended SummaryNegative attitudes toward homosexuals have resulted in verbal abuse and even physical violence against gay men and lesbians. Although several previous studies have found such attitudes among college students, this is the first study that surveys these attitudes as a function of the student’s field of study. The authors found that students in Science and Business fields have more negative attitudes than do Arts and Social Science students. They hypothesize that Business and Science fields attract students who value traditional sex roles, since these fields are considered politically conservative relative to the other fields. The research method involved a survey that was administered to 199 students (of whom 101 were men) at the University of Windsor, located a few miles from Detroit, MI. These students, who ranged from 18-35 years old, were from the middle and lower economic classes and represented four general fields of study (Arts, Business, Science and Social Sciences). The survey, which took about 5 minutes to complete, included 10 statements about gay men and lesbians to which the students responded on a scale ranging from 1 (strongly disagree) to 9 (strongly agree). The higher the number, more negative the attitude. The attitudes were examined as a function of three variables: gender, field of study, and number of years in college. Furthermore, the differences in attitudes toward gay men were compared to those toward lesbians for each of the above variables.The main findings were as follows:•Men had more negative attitudes about homosexuals.•Science and Business students had more negative attitudes against gay men than did Arts and Social Science students.•Attitudes towards homosexuals became more positive with time spent at college.This article can be used as a source for others’ research study findings on the issues of homosexuality and the college experience. Some of the other study findings cited in this article include:•Men have more negative attitudes about homosexuality than women.•People with higher levels of education have less negative attitudes toward homosexuals.•College courses that include discussions of homosexuality promote tolerance of homosexuals.•Men have more negative attitudes toward gay men than toward lesbians.•Negative attitudes about homosexuality is related to the relatively high rate of suicide among homosexuals.•Personal interaction with “out” homosexuals reduces prejudice against homosexuals.The findings of this study agree with most others in that it identifies men as harboring more negative attitudes towards homosexuals, and especially against gay men. However it also finds that this attitude differs based on field of study. This also supports findings from other longitudinal studies that show negative attitudes towards homosexuals decrease with time at college. Thus the authors suggest making a college career accessible to young people, especially young men, as a way to help them become better able to accept human diversity.
RecommendationsThe purpose of the article is not to present recommendations, but to report findings of an attitude survey. However, based on the findings that anti-homosexual prejudice decreases with time in college, they suggest that young people, especially men, should be given access to a college education since it may enhance their ability to accept human diversity.