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Lay Conceptions of Sexual Minority Groups
Sara E Burke1, Marianne LaFrance2
1Department of Psychology, Yale University, 2 Hillhouse Ave., New Haven, CT, 06511, USA. sara.burke@yale.edu.
Archives of Sexual Behavior
|November 25, 2015
Summary
Bisexual identity is perceived as less stable and desirable than heterosexual or homosexual identities. Negative views of bisexual individuals may stem from a preference for binary thinking, impacting perceptions of this intermediate sexual orientation.
Area of Science:
- Social Psychology
- Sexual Orientation Studies
Background:
- Bisexual individuals often face pressure to conform to binary sexual orientations.
- The unique social position of bisexual people may offer insights into lay perceptions of sexual orientation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate how bisexual individuals are perceived compared to heterosexual and homosexual individuals.
- To explore the influence of cognitive factors, such as Personal Need for Structure, on these perceptions.
Main Methods:
- A study involving 1379 participants who evaluated heterosexual, bisexual, or homosexual targets.
- Random assignment of participants (including heterosexual, gay, and lesbian individuals) to evaluate different sexual orientation targets.
Main Results:
- Bisexuality was perceived as less stable than heterosexuality or homosexuality.
- Participants low in Personal Need for Structure viewed female bisexuality as more stable, suggesting binary thinking influences perceptions.
- Bisexual targets were rated as less gender nonconforming, less decisive, and less monogamous than homosexual targets.
Conclusions:
- Perceptions of bisexual individuals are more negative and qualitatively different from those of gay men and lesbian women.
- Understanding intergroup bias requires considering attitudes towards social categories perceived as intermediate.
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