Same-sex touching behavior: The moderating role of homophobic attitudes

Two studies examined the hypothesis that men's tendencies to possess more homophobic attitudes than women might underlie the repeated finding that men engage in less intimate same-sex interpersonal touch than women. In the first study, men scored higher on a homophobia attitudes scale and rated themselves as less comfortable with same-sex touch than did women. Moreover, homophobia and lack of comfort with same-sex touch were correlated both within men and across all subjects. In the second study, same-sex dyads of university students were observed covertly in a cafeteria, and frequency of touching was recorded. These subjects were then approached and asked to complete a homophobia attitudes scale. Men scored higher on the homophobia scale and touched their same-sex acquaintance less frequently than did women. Again, homophobia and same-sex touch correlated within both men and women and across all subjects. Taken together, the results offer support for a connection between homophobia and same-sex touch.

[1]  M. Ross,et al.  Affect, facial regard, and reactions to crowding. , 1973, Journal of personality and social psychology.

[2]  R. Heslin,et al.  Nonverbal Intimacy in Airport Arrival and Departure , 1980 .

[3]  J. M. Olson,et al.  Self-perception of humor: Evidence for discounting and augmentation effects. , 1992 .

[4]  B. Major.  Gender Patterns in Touching Behavior , 1981 .

[5]  N. Weiss.  The Mother-Child Dyad Revisited: Perceptions of Mothers and Children in Twentieth Century Child-Rearing Manuals. , 1978 .

[6]  N. Henley,et al.  Gender and Nonverbal Behavior , 1981 .

[7]  Judith A. Hall,et al.  More "touching" observations: New insights on men, women, and interpersonal touch. , 1990 .

[8]  C. San Miguel,et al.  A factor-analytic conceptualization of attitudes toward male and female homosexuals. , 1976, Journal of homosexuality.

[9]  S. Chaiken,et al.  The psychology of attitudes. , 1993 .

[10]  G. L. Hansen.  Measuring prejudice against homosexuality (homosexism) among college students: a new scale. , 1982, The Journal of social psychology.

[11]  K. Black,et al.  The relationship of self-reported sex-role characteristics and attitudes toward homosexuality. , 1984, Journal of homosexuality.

[12]  Stanley E. Jones.  Sex differences in touch communication , 1986 .

[13]  M. Kite.  Sex differences in attitudes toward homosexuals: a meta-analytic review. , 1984, Journal of homosexuality.

[14]  Robert Sommer,et al.  Personal space : the behavioral basis of design , 1970 .

[15]  D. Bem.  Self-Perception Theory , 1972 .

[16]  V. Derlega,et al.  Gender differences in the initiation and attribution of tactile intimacy , 1988 .

[17]  J. Baxter.  Interpersonal spacing in natural settings. , 1970, Sociometry.

[18]  Joseph H. Pieck.  The Male Sex Role: Definitions, Problems, and Sources of Change , 1976 .

[19]  N. Henley,et al.  Body Politics: Power, Sex, and Nonverbal Communication , 1977 .

[20]  P. Andersen,et al.  The development and nature of the construct touch avoidance , 1978 .

[21]  W. Jaynes,et al.  Nonverbal behavior and attitudes toward touch , 1989 .

[22]  P. Greenbaum,et al.  Varieties of touching in greetings: Sequential structure and sex-related differences , 1980 .

[23]  N. Henley.  Status and sex: Some touching observations , 1973 .

[24]  D. Ruble,et al.  Beliefs about Males , 1978 .

[25]  K. Larsen,et al.  A study of same sex touching attitudes: Scale development and personality predictors , 1984 .

[26]  M. Zanna,et al.  Attitudes and Attitude Change , 1993 .

[27]  Judith A. Hall,et al.  Gender Differences in Touch: An Empirical and Theoretical Review , 1984 .