Honors College Theses

Publication Date

2023

Major

Psychology (B.S.)

Document Type and Release Option

Thesis (restricted to Georgia Southern)

Faculty Mentor

Dr. Michael Nielsen

Abstract

This research aims to evaluate the role of certain factors, such as religious fundamentalism, right-wing authoritarianism, and evangelicalism, in the instance of discrimination and prejudice against homosexual individuals. Participants were composed of varying races, religions, gender identities, and ages. The only requirement for participants was that they be 18 years of age. This study found that a high score on the right-wing authoritarianism scale positively correlates with a high score on the religious fundamentalism scale, a high score on the religious fundamentalism positively correlates with a high score on the Attitudes Towards Lesbians and Attitudes Towards Gays scale, a high score on the right-wing authoritarianism scale positively correlates with a high score on the ATL and ATG scale and a high score on the Evangelical scale correlates with a high score on the ATL and ATG scale. An exploratory multiple regression of analysis of factors of the attitudes towards lesbians and attitudes towards gays scales showed that attitudes toward lesbians and gays were most strongly predicted by right-wing authoritarianism and religious fundamentalism. This study suggests that efforts to include sexual minorities in society can expect resistance from more authoritarian and religious fundamentalist individuals. Addressing attitudes among such people may be one way to improve interpersonal understanding. Because this research suggests specific groups that display more prejudice than others, those groups can be specifically targeted to help bring understanding between them and homosexuals.

Thesis Summary

n/a (abstract did not need to be suppressed)

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