Correlates of same-sex attractions and behaviors among self-identified heterosexual university students

Luis F.Morales Knight, Debra A. Hope

Research output: Contribution to journalReview articlepeer-review

24 Scopus citations

Abstract

Few studies have focused on intragroup variations in sexual orientation and fewer on self-identified heterosexuals withsame-sexattractions, fantasies,and/orbehaviors. Self-identified heterosexual students at a large public midwestern university (N=263) completed measures of sexuality and gender, attitudes toward lesbian, gay, and bisexual (LGB) people, religious and political beliefs, emotional well-being, and demographics. The sample included 82 individuals (31%; labeled ''H+'') who endorsed same-sex attraction, fantasy, and/or behavior and 181 (69%; labeled''H'') who did not.Women were more likely to be categorized as H+than men. H+participants hadmore positive attitudes toward lesbians and gay and bisexualmen and reported more support for LGB-positive public policies than did H participants. H+ participants reported less literalistic beliefs about religious scripture than didHparticipants.HandH? groups did not differ significantly onmeasures of emotional well-being. Results were discussed inthe context of recent literature arguing for amore nuanced and gender-differentiated approach toward assessing sexual orientation, as well as literature on the flexibility of sexual orientation and on heterosexual identity development.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)1199-1208
Number of pages10
JournalArchives of Sexual Behavior
Volume41
Issue number5
DOIs
StatePublished - Oct 2012

Keywords

  • Heterosexuality
  • Homosexuality
  • Sexual identity
  • Sexual orientation
  • Sexual prejudice

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Arts and Humanities (miscellaneous)
  • General Psychology

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