Abstract
In this study, we investigated the relationships between school context and heterosexual adolescents’ social reasoning regarding same-sex sexuality and sexual prejudice. One thousand seventy- six adolescents (Female, n=648; Male, n=428) attending two high schools that differed in the degree to which they implemented practices to increase the safety and well-being of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT students) responded to a questionnaire regarding their attitudes and beliefs about homosexuality and their judgments regarding excluding and teasing lesbian, gay, and gender non-conforming peers. The results of the study suggest that safe schools practices are related to more tolerant and less stereotypical attitudes among heterosexual students; particularly regarding gay male sexuality. This study provides additional evidence that adolescents’ social reasoning about sexual prejudice is complex and multidimensional.
| Original language | English (US) |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 64-79 |
| Number of pages | 16 |
| Journal | International Journal of Developmental Sciences |
| Volume | 3 |
| Issue number | 1 |
| DOIs | |
| State | Published - 2009 |
| Externally published | Yes |
Keywords
- Adolescents
- Homophobia
- School context
- Sexual prejudice
- Social reasoning