Part 1

Summary of the article

 Both intuition and empirical evidence have been used to create the public sentiment toward homosexuality. From 1970 to 1977, people in the U.S could not change these negative attitude toward homosexuality until the past 2 decades where people are seen to change their opinion toward supporting the acceptability of homosexuality (Yang, 1997). In the 1970s and 1980s, the rate of disapproval has been high but today, the recent surveys are challenging the conventional wisdom and this has caused a decrease in disapproval rates. The low rates show that the public is showing the willingness to agree that homosexuality is moral and legal.

• Hypotheses

 There are changes in opinion polls and public opinions toward homosexuality have become positive.

• Method used

A survey method of research was used where data was derived from survey archives.

• Independent and dependent variables

 In the study, the responders were the dependent variables and the policies were independent variables.  The dependent variables were used to measure the attitudes of the public toward homosexuality.  The dependent variables changed due to the changes in independent variables.  In other words, the policies acted as independent variables as they affected the attitudes (Yang, 1997).

• Results

 The research article had predicted that there is a positive attitude toward the issues of homosexuality. However, the data collected through the survey method does not support the hypothesis since a higher number was against homosexuality. The majority report that homosexuality is more harmful, morally wrong, not acceptable, should not be legal and the majority choose to be gays and lesbians (Yang, 1997).

Part 2

Summary

 The article asserts that right-wing authoritarianism is associated with inter-group prejudices. People with authoritarianism have a higher tendency to form the bias against the out-groups since they fear the minority may threaten the values (Whitley, 1999). They normally treat the out-groups as inferior and less moral and view them as immoral threats. The right-wing authoritarians relate with social dominance orientation in that the latter is a condition where the in-groups feel they are superior. They tend to discriminate the out-group and hold negative attitudes toward minorities such as lesbians and gay. However, SDO differs from RWA in that it uses legitimizing myths to defend themselves whereas the RWA uses the stereotype as a form of prejudice (Whitley, 1999).

 

 The study investigated whether people with RWA have negative attitudes toward homosexuality and whether SDO form prejudice toward out-groups.

• Hypothesis
• Social dominance orientation forces the in-group to from stereotypes and other forms of prejudices as an expression to negative attitudes toward out-groups.
• Social dominance orientation correlates with gender differences where men tend to maintain power (Whitley, 1999).

 

• Method

 A questionnaire method of research was used where participants were asked to agree or disagree.

• Variables

 The independent variables were RWA and SDO and the dependent variables were prejudice measures.  The canonical correlation analysis was used to assess the relationship between the variables (Whitley, 1999).

• Results

 The study concludes that RWA and SDA are associated with prejudiced attitudes.   People with SDO   tend to form an identity group that has more power than out-groups.  On the other hand, RWA does not focus on intergroup dominance but it tends to follow the powerful authorities and condemns the minority who are against the group's social norms (Whitley, 1999).  Focusing on both RWA and SDO, the research article finds that SDO is responsible for many forms of prejudice in that it focuses on gender differences and in-group dominance.

Both articles overlap in their research areas n that they tend to focus on one area of interest.  In other words, they focus on the issue of homosexuality and how the public create a negative attitude toward gay, lesbians and other minority groups.  Both articles show that people develop a negative attitude by following social norms. The society believes that homosexuality is a deviant behavior and gay and lesbians do not comply with social norms (Whitley, 1999). The public is influenced by the social norms to form a negative attitude and prejudice toward the minority.  These articles can address the issue of homosexually in a deeper manner by finding whether homosexuality is a moral issue in order to eliminate the animosity.

 Questions

Q1.

SDO is the tendency to form group differences where the in-group tends to form a hierarchical structure, social class, and group-based dominance.  In-group forms group-based inequality and show concern in material interest to stabilize their group.

Q2.

 People with low SDO have negative attitudes toward minorities.  They hold the beliefs that the out-groups are inferior. Due to the negative beliefs, they form a high SDO since they not only show negative attitude but they also create distance by denying them social opportunities such as employment and education. People with high SDO also opposes affirmative actions and restricts them from accessing social and economic opportunities (Whitley, 1999).

Q3

Stereotypes act as a legitimizing myth. The latter means that people with high SDO tend to believe that their social practices are rooted in the social system. In other words, their attitudes, ideologies as well as stereotypes are socially constructed (Whitley, 1999).

 Q4.

 In the SDO and Affective Responses, high score were attributes such as warm and friendly and low score was annoyed and angry.  When both measures were combined, the results showed that the higher score had a positive effect (Whitley, 1999).

 

Q5.      

            Since a higher score indicated positive attitudes, the hypothesis that can be made is that individuals with SDO level have positive attitudes toward homosexuality.  The Modern Racism Scale shows that people with SDO have a positive attitude and show a concern to homosexuality (Whitley, 1999).

 To test this hypothesis, I would state the hypotheses and use the method of a sampling distribution.  I would then collect the data using a quantitative method. This method entails the use of collected data from the participants to come up with findings and results.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Reference

 

Yang, A. S. (1997). Trends: Attitudes toward homosexuality. The Public Opinion Quarterly, 61: 477-507.

 

Whitley Jr, B. E. (1999). Right-wing authoritarianism, social dominance orientation, and prejudice.

Journal of personality and social psychology, 77(1), 126-134.