Sexual orientation survey of students on the San Francisco State University Campus.

Abstract

This study examined the sexual orientations of students on the campus of San Francisco State University. The sample consisted of 1,039 students who responded to a questionnaire administered in their classes. The results were as follows: (a) significantly more males than females reported the homosexual orientation for both behavior and feeling; (b) about the same proportion of whites and nonwhites reported the homosexual orientation for behavior; and (c) significantly more students in majors emphasizing "divergent" thinking than those in majors emphasizing "convergent" thinking reported the homosexual orientation for behavior. The first two findings were explained in terms of the differentiated and related development of social sex-roles and sexual orientation in females and males and minority and majority groups. The last finding was explained in terms of divergent and convergent thinking of students who choose particular disciplines.