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- Title
Not 'just words': Exposure to homophobic epithets leads to dehumanizing and physical distancing from gay men.
- Authors
Fasoli, Fabio; Paladino, Maria Paola; Carnaghi, Andrea; Jetten, Jolanda; Bastian, Brock; Bain, Paul G.
- Abstract
We examined whether homophobic epithets (e.g., faggot) function as labels of deviance for homosexuals that contribute to their dehumanization and physical distance. Across two studies, participants were supraliminally (Study 1) and subliminally (Study 2) exposed to a homophobic epithet, a category label, or a generic insult. Participants were then asked to associate human-related and animal-related words to homosexuals and heterosexuals. Results showed that after exposure to a homophobic epithet, compared with a category label or a generic insult, participants associated less human-related words with homosexuals, indicating dehumanization. In Study 2, we also assessed the effect of a homophobic epithet on physical distance from a target group member and found that homophobic epithets led to greater physical distancing of a gay man. These findings indicate that homophobic epithets foster dehumanization and avoidance of gay people, in ways that other insults or labels do not.
- Subjects
ITALY; ANALYSIS of variance; COMPARATIVE studies; CONFIDENCE intervals; GAY men; HOMOPHOBIA; PROBABILITY theory; QUESTIONNAIRES; STATISTICS; STUDENTS; TERMS &; phrases; DATA analysis; TASK performance; DESCRIPTIVE statistics; DEHUMANIZATION
- Publication
European Journal of Social Psychology, 2016, Vol 46, Issue 2, p237
- ISSN
0046-2772
- Publication type
Article
- DOI
10.1002/ejsp.2148