Heterosexual Bias Research Articles

Heterosexual bias in the identity self-portraits of gay men, lesbians, and bisexuals.

This study examined identity processes of gay men, lesbians, and bisexuals. Self-esteem scores, perceived stigma scores, and identity structures were obtained for 19 gay, bisexual, and lesbian participants. It was predicted that participants with heterosexually biased roles in superordinate positions in their identity structures would describe themselves more negatively and would have lower self-esteem. Additionally, those with higher perceived stigma would describe themselves more negatively and would have lower self-esteem. Seventy-three percent of the participants indicated that they were in one or more heterosexually biased roles. As predicted, heterosexually biased superordinate roles and negative self-descriptive attributes both relate to lower self-esteem. Higher perceived stigma does not relate to self-esteem and instead correlates with increased use of positive self-descriptive attributes.

Perceptions of heterosexual bias in professional psychology programs: A survey of graduate students.

Perceptions of heterosexual bias in professional psychology programs: A survey of graduate students.

Perceptions of heterosexual bias in professional psychology programs: A survey of graduate students.

Perceptions of heterosexual bias in professional psychology programs: A survey of graduate students.

Avoiding heterosexual bias in language.

Avoiding heterosexual bias in language.

Avoiding heterosexual bias in language.

Avoiding heterosexual bias in language.

Heterosexual bias in the perception of loving relationships of gay males and lesbians

It was hypothesized that a heterosexual bias would emerge in the perception of loving relationships of gay males and lesbians. Specifically, it was predicted that if heterosexual subjects were presented with identical information about a hypothetical heterosexual couple, a lesbian couple, and a gay male couple, that the latter two would be perceived more negatively than the former. Heterosexual subjects (N = 360) were randomly assigned to one of 18 conditions defined by a 3 x 2 x 3 ANOVA design. The factors were: sex and sexual orientation of individuals in the hypothetical couple profile to be read and evaluated, sex of subject, and amount of love content in the description of the couple. The results confirmed the existence of a heterosexual bias and that gay and lesbian couples were perceived as being “less satisfied with their relationship” than heterosexual couples, and that gay and lesbian couples were perceived as “less in love” than heterosexual couples. The implications of these results are discus...

Heterosexual bias in psychological research on lesbianism and male homosexuality (1979-1983), utilizing the bibliographic and taxonomic system of Morin (1977).

Utilizing the concept of heterosexual bias, recent research on homosexuality is evaluated to see if this bias has lessened in recent years. In 1977 the suggestion was made that a new vision of homosexuality as an alternate and equally valid lifestyle would result in changes in the questions posed, the data collected, and the interpretations made in research on homosexuality. Recent journal article abstracts are examined and weighed to find the extend to which they reflect a change in the social values of the behavior under study. These findings are compared to those of the original study in 1977 and assessed to see if the predicted changes have come about. Strong evidence of such a change was found.

Heterosexual Bias Among Counselor Trainees

Master's level counselor trainees rated an audiotaped and role‐played intake interview of a female client whose sexual orientation was varied. In Condition 1, the client referred to her partner as “Doug,” a man; in Condition 2, the client referred to her partner as “Diane,” a woman; in Condition 3, the client referred to her partner as “Chris,” whose sex was unidentifiable. Subtle forms of heterosexual bias were found through participants' ratings of the unidentifiable client. When responding to the ambiguous condition involving the unidentifiable client, 83% of the participants assumed the client was heterosexual. When they were debriefed, participants expressed concern over the lack of training on issues related to counseling lesbian and gay clients. Use of the ambiguous case example, as in this study, is recommended for training to assess and confront increasingly subtle forms of heterosexual bias.

Is ‘Chloe liked Olivia’ a lesbian plot?

Despite Virginia Woolf's lesbian vision of love and friendship between Chloe and Olivia in A Room of One's Own, the literary and critical text often serves to shut lesbians into a closet of prose. Among the debilitating myths used by writers are the ‘Phaon myth’ (that authentic lesbian experience must be terminated by an inauthentic heterosexual rescue), the vampire myth, and the myth of masculinity. The latter in particular has served to divide heterosexual women from their lesbian sisters, so that much feminist literary criticism displays a pervasive heterosexual bias by ignoring or distorting lesbian texts and subtexts. This paper suggests ways in which the word and concept ‘lesbian’ is being reclaimed by lesbian writers and critics. It calls for all women to destroy patriarchal myths about lesbians; reread literary texts for their lesbian subtexts; recover the works of lesbians, particularly lesbians of color; and, finally, proclaim the word ‘lesbian’ forcefully despite the threats posed by a misogynistic academy and society.

Misrepresentation, liberalism, and heterosexual bias in introductory psychology textbooks.

The present study investigated the content of 48 introductory psychology textbooks published over a five-year period (1975-1979) and recommended by publishing companies or psychology professors for use in Canadian universities. The findings indicated that for every one source of relevant information on homosexuality there were five sources of misrepresentative data that reflect a combination of misleading information, liberalism, and heterosexual bias. Textbook editors and authors have: (1) failed to address the rights and needs of gay people; (2) failed to document accurately the social changes associated with being gay; and (3) perpetuated societal stereotypes, thereby appearing to justify the prejudice and discrimination encountered by gay people in their daily lives. Guidelines for the discussion of lesbianism and male homosexuality in introductory psychology textbooks are proposed.

Psychotherapy with Lesbians

Psychotherapeutic work with lesbians is confounded by both sexist and heterosexist factors. This paper traces three aspects of women's socialization—self‐concept, feminine sex‐role behavior, and sexuality— which have particular implications for lesbians and discusses the implications of these three in therapy. The impact of women's conditioning to base self‐esteem on acceptance by others is noted, particularly as such conditioning combines with the cumulative stresses of lesbian life. Finally, examples of ways in which heterosexual bias may become apparent in therapy are given, and alternative therapeutic approaches are discussed.

Heterosexual bias in psychological research on lesbianism and male homosexuality.

Heterosexual bias in psychological research on lesbianism and male homosexuality.

Heterosexual bias in psychological research on lesbianism and male homosexuality.

Heterosexual bias in psychological research on lesbianism and male homosexuality.