Disgust sensitivity relates to attitudes toward gay men and lesbian women across 31 nations
: van Leeuwen Florian, Inbar Yoel, Petersen Michael Bang, Aarøe Lene, Barclay Pat, Barlow Fiona Kate, de Barra Mícheál, Becker D. Vaughn, Borovoi Leah, Choi Jongan, Consedine Nathan S., Conway Jane Rebecca, Conway Paul, Adoric Vera Cubela, Demirci Ekin, Fernández Ana María, Ferreira Diogo Conque Seco, Ishii Keiko, Jakšić Ivana, Ji Tingting, Jonaityte Inga, Lewis David M. G., Li Norman P., McIntyre Jason C., Mukherjee Sumitava, Park Justin H., Pawlowski Boguslaw, Pizarro David, Prokop Pavol, Prodromitis Gerasimos, Rantala Markus J., Reynolds Lisa M., Sandin Bonifacio, Sevi Barış, Srinivasan Narayanan, Tewari Shruti, Yong Jose C., Zezelj Iris, Tybur Joshua M.
Publisher: Sage
: 2023
: Group Processes and Intergroup Relations
: GROUP PROCESSES & INTERGROUP RELATIONS
: GROUP PROCESS INTERG
: 13684302211067151
: 23
: 1368-4302
: 1461-7188
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/13684302211067151
: https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/13684302211067151
: https://research.utu.fi/converis/portal/detail/Publication/174996785
Previous work has reported a relation between pathogen-avoidance motivations and prejudice toward various social groups, including gay men and lesbian women. It is currently unknown whether this association is present across cultures, or specific to North America. Analyses of survey data from adult heterosexuals (N = 11,200) from 31 countries showed a small relation between pathogen disgust sensitivity (an individual-difference measure of pathogen-avoidance motivations) and measures of antigay attitudes. Analyses also showed that pathogen disgust sensitivity relates not only to antipathy toward gay men and lesbians, but also to negativity toward other groups, in particular those associated with violations of traditional sexual norms (e.g., prostitutes). These results suggest that the association between pathogen-avoidance motivations and antigay attitudes is relatively stable across cultures and is a manifestation of a more general relation between pathogen-avoidance motivations and prejudice towards groups associated with sexual norm violations.
