The Influence of Socio-cultural Factors on College Students’ Attitudes toward Sexual Minorities

Authors

Mark D. Olson, Illinois State UniversityFollow
Eros DeSouza, Illinois State UniversityFollow

Keywords

LGBT discrimination, millennial students, social work education, anti-gay bias, social work practice

Abstract

Research has indicated that age is a significant predictor of tolerance toward sexual minorities. However, outdated measures and social desirability may hinder attempts to accurately detect bias. This study explores attitudes toward gay males among a sample of students in the Midwestern United States. We investigate the influence of gender, religiosity, and political orientation on students’ attitudes. Students’ political orientation was found to be the strongest predictor of attitudes. In contrast to previous research emphasizing the relationship between age and tolerance, our study suggests that socio-cultural factors have the greatest influence on bias. This has critical implications for social work educators working with students from conservative cultures.

Recommended Citation

Olson, Mark D. and DeSouza, Eros (2017) "The Influence of Socio-cultural Factors on College Students’ Attitudes toward Sexual Minorities," The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare: Vol. 44: Iss. 4, Article 5.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.15453/0191-5096.4065
Available at: https://scholarworks.wmich.edu/jssw/vol44/iss4/5