Indirect contact and adolescents' intentions as bystanders to LGBTQ+ microaggressions

Abstract

Adolescents are less likely to step in as bystanders in instances of homophobic discrimination. Here, two studies assess whether indirect media mediated contact with gay characters is related to bystander intentions in a hypothetical homophobic microaggression scenario. In study one, 72 participants (Mage = 12.32, SD = 0.71, 55% boys, 45% girls) watched either an extended contact or control video. Participants in the contact condition were more likely to implicitly challenge the homophobic microaggression, and boys in the contact condition were less likely to explicitly support the aggressor. Study two (96 participants, Mage = 14.78, SD = 0.70, 51% boys, 49% girls) extended these findings by demonstrating that in an extended contact condition, boys were more likely to negatively evaluate a microaggression, which was in turn related to bystander intentions. These studies demonstrate that media-based contact can encourage assertive bystander intentions in instances of homophobic prejudice, especially amongst adolescent boys.