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Assumed Similarity of Attitudes About AIDS Among Gay and Heterosexual Physicians
Author(s) -
Marks Gary,
Richardson Jean L.,
Lochner L. Thomas,
McGuigan Kimberly A.,
Levine Alexandra
Publication year - 1988
Publication title -
journal of applied social psychology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.822
H-Index - 111
eISSN - 1559-1816
pISSN - 0021-9029
DOI - 10.1111/j.1559-1816.1988.tb02354.x
Subject(s) - psychology , similarity (geometry) , social psychology , position (finance) , heterosexuality , homosexuality , clinical psychology , developmental psychology , finance , artificial intelligence , computer science , psychoanalysis , economics , image (mathematics)
Heterosexual and gay physicians indicated their own attitudes on several issues related to the AIDS epidemic and attributed a position on each issue to the target group “most people.” The heterosexual physicians' attitudes were more negative than the gay physicians' attitudes. Both groups judged that “most people” hold attitudes more negative than their own. The distance between own and attributed position as much greater for the gay individuals. This distance effect was due primarily to differences in self‐ratings between the two groups. Own and attributed position correlated positively for each group of physiaans. Additionally, the tendency to assume similarity was marginally stronger for heterosexuals with high than low homophobia. Theoretical interpretation is presented.