College Students’ Attitudes towards Homosexuality

Attitudes towards homosexuality are influenced by several factors: religion, media, family, peers, gender and contact with homosexual individuals (Riaz, 2006; Calzo & Ward, 2009). How these factors intersect to form one’s attitude is not fully understood. The purpose of this study was to identify if there are gender differences determining what influences shape attitudes towards homosexuality. The central research question in this study was, “Are there gendered differences determining what factors influence college students’ attitudes toward homosexuality?” This study was conducted at a small Midwestern university; participants were 128 male and female students. Survey data was statistically analyzed using cross-tabulations, mean comparisons, independent t-tests, and a reliability analysis. Findings supported the hypothesis; there were significant mean differences in seven of the ten variables. Implications for practitioners include taking gender into account when working with issues surrounding homosexuality. It is recommended that males be provided with additional education regarding homosexuality to increase sensitivity. Implications for future research include qualitative interviews and focusing on family and religion in the development of attitudes. 119 College Students’ Attitudes towards Homosexuality “I feel that we need to make homosexuality a more positive thing in society.” ~Anonymous survey participant Recent studies support the idea that a person’s attitude towards homosexuality is influenced by several factors including religious affiliation, religiosity, mass media, family, peers, a person’s gender, and overall contact with homosexual individuals (Riaz, 2006; Calzo & Ward, 2009). Exactly how these factors intersect with one another to form a college student’s overall attitude towards homosexuality is not fully understood, though associations between religion and family have been greatly recognized. Homosexuality is defined as sexual desire or behavior directed toward a person or persons of one’s own sex (Webster, 2001). There needs to be more research focused primarily on college students and the factors that influence their attitudes on controversial issues such as homosexuality. It is essential to gain a greater understanding of how certain attitudes are developed, such as those towards homosexuality. Attitudes towards homosexuality influence how people interact with members of the homosexual community. Negative attitudes have been associated with hate crimes directed towards homosexual individuals, while positive attitudes have been associated with social activism for the homosexual community. Within the current literature, researchers agreed that there are several factors that influence a person’s attitude. The focus of this study was to determine if there were gender differences regarding what the main factors are that influence college students’ attitudes towards homosexuality. After the researchers reviewed current literature on what factors influence a college student’s attitude towards homosexuality, male and female college students age 18 and above were then surveyed at a small Midwestern University. Journal of Student Research 120 Literature Review The search engine Ebscohost was used to review the literature on differing factors contributing to college students’ attitudes towards homosexuality. The literature found on this topic mainly focused on traditional aged college students with the average sampling age ranging from 18 to 25. In one previous study, religious affiliations were examined in a nationally represented survey of 1,610 legal adult citizens that resulted in a gap representing college students. In one study, pairs of twins, ages ranging from 18 to 25 were surveyed studying the influence of genetics on homophobic tendencies. This study was conducted in Australia, however; the information provided by this study was crucial to our research on family and the connection to attitudes towards homosexuality. The studies focused on similar variables such as gender, sexual orientation, age, family and peer influences, religion, and mass media (Calzo & Ward, 2009; Verweij, Shekar, Zietsch, Eaves, Bailey, Boomsma, & Martin, 2008; Olson, Cadge, & Harrison, 2006; Raiz, 2006). Calzo and Ward (2009) examined the effects that the media had upon an individual’s attitude towards homosexuality. This included looking at what types of television shows and movies one watched, the types of magazines one read, and how much exposure one had to the media. They found that specific genres of media, such as prime time television shows or magazines one prefers, such as teen magazines, may have the strongest influence upon a person’s perception of homosexuality. The more a person consumed a specific type of media genre, the more the person’s perception may be influenced. However, even when one consumed large amounts of media it did not imply that one would become more or less accepting of homosexuality. The study also found that the more media exposure males had, the more they moved toward flexible gender roles, which reflected a more accepting attitude toward homosexuality. Exposure to media appeared to