Predicting homonegative behaviour : a cognitive or affective enterprise?

• Main Author: Trinder, Krista Marie
• Other Authors: Morrison, Melanie A.
• Format: Others
• Language: en
• Published: University of Saskatchewan 2008
• Subjects: Implicit Association Test; Facial eletromyography; Homonegativity
• Online Access: http://library.usask.ca/theses/available/etd-10302008-114629/

To date, there is a dearth of research examining the relationship between cognitive and affective aspects of prejudice and their ability to predict overt and covert homonegative behaviours. Research in this area is important as many gay men and lesbian women are the target of homonegative acts, and it is these behaviours that are important to understand. Therefore, the purpose of this thesis was to examine: 1) if modern homonegativity related to explicit affective measures; 2) if modern homonegativity related to implicit affective measures; 3) whether modern homonegativity related to implicit cognitive measures; 4) which measure was the best predictor of covert behaviour; and 5) which measure was the best predictor of overt behaviour. The four measures used as potential predictors were: 1) the Modern Homonegativity Scale (MHS), an explicit, cognitive measure; 2) the Implicit Association Test (IAT), an implicit, cognitive measure; 3) a feeling thermometer, an explicit, affective measure; and 4) facial electromyographic reactions, an implicit affective measure. This study consisted of three phases: in Phase I, 171 male undergraduates completed an online survey consisting of explicit measures of homonegativity. Fifty-five participants were recalled to participate in Phases II and III, which consisted of a behavioural component and the facial EMG and IAT components. Results indicated that modern homonegativity was associated with implicit cognitive measures as well as explicit measures of affect. However, modern homonegativity was not associated with implicit measures of affect. Additionally, positive affect in the form of cheek activity and negative affect toward images of couples kissing in the form of brow activity, measured through facial EMG, were associated with covert behaviour, with cheek activity being the better predictor. Brow activity toward images of gay couples kissing, indicative of negative affect, was the only measure associated with overt behaviour. Limitations and potential future directions for conducting research using implicit measures of homonegativity are discussed.