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Homonegativity in Italy: Cultural Issues, Personality Characteristics, and Demographic Correlates with Negative Attitudes Toward Lesbians and Gay Men

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Abstract

This study is an extension of earlier research that investigated the nature of homonegativity among Italian people (Lingiardi et al. 2005). We used the Modern Homophobia Scale (MHS), adapted to be more appropriate for the Italian social and cultural context. Associations were examined between homophobic attitudes, demographics, and personality characteristics and contact with lesbians and gay men. Gender issues were considered twice, from the viewpoint of both the agent and the target of the prejudice. The findings indicated that people at higher risk of possessing homonegative attitudes are older; less educated; more involved in religion and politically conservative; characterized by a more conforming, moralistic, and rule-bound personality, according to Cattell’s personality factors; and have poor contact experience with lesbians and gay men. Males tended to have higher levels of homonegativity toward gay men but not toward lesbians. Proposals to reduce antigay bias in the Italian context will be briefly discussed.

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Notes

  1. Although the term “homophobia” is well known and widely used, there are many reasons for scrapping it (Herek 2004). But there are also many proposals to replace it. We consider that using the term “homonegativity”—instead of other good alternatives such as “sexual prejudice”—is the preferred choice when there is a need to clearly identify the target of prejudice, even though there is a lack of a global consensus regarding its definition (Lottes and Grollman 2010).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Dynamic and Clinical Psychology, Faculty of Medicine and Psychology, Sapienza University of Rome, via dei Marsi 78, 00185, Rome, Italy

    Vittorio Lingiardi, Nicola Nardelli, Salvatore Ioverno, Simona Falanga, Carlo Di Chiacchio & Annalisa Tanzilli

  2. Department of Developmental and Social Psychology, Faculty of Medicine and Psychology, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy

    Roberto Baiocco

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  1. Vittorio Lingiardi
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Lingiardi, V., Nardelli, N., Ioverno, S. et al. Homonegativity in Italy: Cultural Issues, Personality Characteristics, and Demographic Correlates with Negative Attitudes Toward Lesbians and Gay Men. Sex Res Soc Policy 13, 95–108 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13178-015-0197-6

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