The Role of Sexual Prejudice and Aetiology Beliefs in the Italians’ Attitudes Toward Adoption by Same-Sex Couples
Research found that those who believe sexual orientation is inborn have generally positive attitudes toward gay men and lesbian women. However, other studies have also found that these beliefs could include negative eugenic ideas. This study aims to investigate the role of people’s beliefs about the...
| Main Authors: | , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
PsychOpen GOLD/ Leibniz Institute for Psychology
2022-11-01
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| Series: | Europe's Journal of Psychology |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://ejop.psychopen.eu/index.php/ejop/article/view/7243 |
| _version_ | 1797970235586772992 |
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| author | Silvia Di Battista Daniele Paolini Lucia Mongelli Monica Pivetti |
| author_facet | Silvia Di Battista Daniele Paolini Lucia Mongelli Monica Pivetti |
| author_sort | Silvia Di Battista |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Research found that those who believe sexual orientation is inborn have generally positive attitudes toward gay men and lesbian women. However, other studies have also found that these beliefs could include negative eugenic ideas. This study aims to investigate the role of people’s beliefs about the aetiology of sexual orientation in attitudes toward adoption for both gay and lesbian couples in Italy. We hypothesized that this relationship would be mediated by sexual prejudice. To test the predictions, 256 Italian heterosexual participants were asked to answer questions on a scale about their beliefs regarding the aetiology of sexual orientation, sexual prejudice, and attitudes toward adoption by same-sex couples. Results confirmed that the relationship between aetiology beliefs and support for adoption by gay and lesbian couples was fully mediated by sexual prejudice. These results suggest that the belief that sexual orientation is controllable may serve to justify one’s prejudice and, in turn, result in a lower support for same-sex couples’ adoption. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-11T03:14:48Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-4ac933383c654c24b1115fa513e0bd04 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1841-0413 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-11T03:14:48Z |
| publishDate | 2022-11-01 |
| publisher | PsychOpen GOLD/ Leibniz Institute for Psychology |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Europe's Journal of Psychology |
| spelling | doaj.art-4ac933383c654c24b1115fa513e0bd042023-01-02T10:41:49ZengPsychOpen GOLD/ Leibniz Institute for PsychologyEurope's Journal of Psychology1841-04132022-11-0118446447510.5964/ejop.7243ejop.7243The Role of Sexual Prejudice and Aetiology Beliefs in the Italians’ Attitudes Toward Adoption by Same-Sex CouplesSilvia Di Battista0Daniele Paolini1Lucia Mongelli2Monica Pivetti3University of Bergamo, Bergamo, ItalyUniversity IUL, Florence, ItalyUniversity of Chieti–Pescara, Chieti, ItalyUniversity of Bergamo, Bergamo, ItalyResearch found that those who believe sexual orientation is inborn have generally positive attitudes toward gay men and lesbian women. However, other studies have also found that these beliefs could include negative eugenic ideas. This study aims to investigate the role of people’s beliefs about the aetiology of sexual orientation in attitudes toward adoption for both gay and lesbian couples in Italy. We hypothesized that this relationship would be mediated by sexual prejudice. To test the predictions, 256 Italian heterosexual participants were asked to answer questions on a scale about their beliefs regarding the aetiology of sexual orientation, sexual prejudice, and attitudes toward adoption by same-sex couples. Results confirmed that the relationship between aetiology beliefs and support for adoption by gay and lesbian couples was fully mediated by sexual prejudice. These results suggest that the belief that sexual orientation is controllable may serve to justify one’s prejudice and, in turn, result in a lower support for same-sex couples’ adoption.https://ejop.psychopen.eu/index.php/ejop/article/view/7243aetiology beliefssexual orientationsexual prejudicesame-sex couplessame-sex parentinggay fatherslesbian mothers |
| spellingShingle | Silvia Di Battista Daniele Paolini Lucia Mongelli Monica Pivetti The Role of Sexual Prejudice and Aetiology Beliefs in the Italians’ Attitudes Toward Adoption by Same-Sex Couples Europe's Journal of Psychology aetiology beliefs sexual orientation sexual prejudice same-sex couples same-sex parenting gay fathers lesbian mothers |
| title | The Role of Sexual Prejudice and Aetiology Beliefs in the Italians’ Attitudes Toward Adoption by Same-Sex Couples |
| title_full | The Role of Sexual Prejudice and Aetiology Beliefs in the Italians’ Attitudes Toward Adoption by Same-Sex Couples |
| title_fullStr | The Role of Sexual Prejudice and Aetiology Beliefs in the Italians’ Attitudes Toward Adoption by Same-Sex Couples |
| title_full_unstemmed | The Role of Sexual Prejudice and Aetiology Beliefs in the Italians’ Attitudes Toward Adoption by Same-Sex Couples |
| title_short | The Role of Sexual Prejudice and Aetiology Beliefs in the Italians’ Attitudes Toward Adoption by Same-Sex Couples |
| title_sort | role of sexual prejudice and aetiology beliefs in the italians attitudes toward adoption by same sex couples |
| topic | aetiology beliefs sexual orientation sexual prejudice same-sex couples same-sex parenting gay fathers lesbian mothers |
| url | https://ejop.psychopen.eu/index.php/ejop/article/view/7243 |
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