AUTORITARINIŲ, SEKSISTINIŲ IR HOMOFOBINIŲ NUOSTATŲ RAIŠKOS LYČIŲ SKIRTUMAI. (Lithuanian)

GENDER DIFFERENCES IN AUTHORITARIAN, SEXIST AND HOMOPHOBIC ATTITUDES. (English)

The article presents the results of measurement of authoritarian, anti- feminist, homophobic attitudes conducted by applying Right Wing Authoritarianism (Altemeyer 1981, 1988; Schneider 1997), Homophobia (Herek 1988) and Anti- feminism scales (Smith, Ferree & Miller 1975) in youth groups of one of the regions of Lithuania. The research respondents were 169 students attending different types of educational institutions (vocational schools, non-university colleges and university). Besides the above mentioned scales, the survey questionnaire included 20 items reflecting variables (gender, age, residence, educational institution, learning experience, behaviour and achievements at school, some socialization factors, education and professional occupation of parents, etc.). This article focuses on gender aspects of authoritarianism, anti- feminism/ sexism and homophobia. The participants responded to the questionnaire items on 6-point agree- disagree scales from "very strongly disagree" (1) to "very strongly agree" (6). Statistical analysis methods were used: reliability analysis, correlation and factor analysis (VARIMAX). Non-parametric tests (Mann- Whitn ey U, Wilcoxon W, Kruskall- Wallis) were employed to identify statistical differences. The research revealed that the expression of respondents' attitudes assessed by Authoritarianism and Anti- feminism scales does not reach the level of intolerance (average score (M) does not exceed score 3). Average scores for Authoritarianism scale (M=3.0) and Anti- feminism/ Sexism scale (M=2.9) demonstrate that participants do not hold apparent authoritarian attitudes. However after comparing male and female groups, statistically significant differences were identified in all three forms of intolerance (authoritarianism, sexism/ anti- feminism, homophobia). The investigation revealed that the most negative attitudes are held by the respondents towards homosexuals (M=3.6): the average score varies from response 3 "slightly disagree" to 4 "slightly agree", which can be denominated as "weak homonegativism". Males expressed stronger intolerance to male- gays (M=4.8), whereas females are more tolerant to homosexual males (M=3.8). Analysis of findings of other research and theoretical conceptualisations shows that authoritarianism, homophobia and anti- feminism are interconnected. In the empirical research correlations between these constructs were examined by identifying Pearson coefficient. The strongest correlation was found between authoritarianism and homophobia (r=0.62). Whitley and Lee (2000) found an average correlation of 0.52 between authoritarianism and negative attitudes towards homosexuality. According to the results of our research, correlation of authoritarianism and sexism is slightly weaker (r=0.54). This correlation could be explained by the fact that Authoritarianism scale consists of several items measuring homophobia and traditional conservative gender- beliefs. However, the authoritarianism construct is wider and embraces a description of different social structures and intolerance towards different forms of otherness. Right Wing Authoritarianism Scale measures attitudes towards traditional religious belief (Christianity), traditional social order, proper relationships between parents and children, superiors and subordinates, prescribes relationships with Others (homosexuals, women, atheists, bohemia, etc.). Our research findings correlate with the results obtained by other researchers (i.e. Kite & Whitley, 1996; Ogletree & Harper 2006; LaMar & Kite 1998; Whitley & Aegisdottir 2000) who identified positive correlation between gender beliefs and negative attitudes towards homosexuals. In Kite and Whitley (1996) research the correlation between more- traditional gender- roles beliefs and negative attitudes to homosexuality reached r=0.44. It is supposed that people holding traditional attitudes to and stereotypes about how masculinity and femininity should reveal itself and how women and men have to behave according to traditional roles hold negative attitudes to homosexuality. Our research is consistent with these findings - homophobia correlates with sexism (r=0.45). Results of the research presented in this article could support other researchers' conceptualizations (Whitley & Aegisdottir 2000) that people high in authoritarianism condemn homosexuality because their authoritarianism helps them to shape their gender- role beliefs, which then also support their attitudes towards homosexuality. The correlation between the constructs (authoritarianism, homophobia, sexism/ anti- feminism) reflects the idea that they are rooted in a patriarchal social system where men and women have "proper" roles and have to obey the authority which is presented by a heterosexual male - Father. The revealed interconnection between conservative beliefs (in this case, authoritarianism) and intolerance (sexism, homophobia) induces to further investigate the issues of complex gender socialization processes performed by social institutes and groups. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Straipsnyje pristatomas empirinis įvairių nepakantos formų (autoritarizmo, homofobinių, seksistinių- antifeministinių) nuostatų matavimo kiekybinis tyrimas (N = 169) taikant pasaulyje žinomus instrumentus: autoritarizmo RWA skalę (Altemeyer 1981, 1988; Schneider 1997), homofobijos skalę (Herek 1988), anti- feminizmo / seksizmo skalę (Smith, Ferree, Miller 1975). Tyrimo tikslas - atskleisti šių konstruktų vidinę struktūrą, nuostatų lyčių skirtumus, ištirti minėtų nepakantos formų tarpusavio ryšį. Straipsnyje analizuojama autoritarizmo, homofobijos ir seksizmo matavimo patirtis kitose šalyse ir Lietuvoje. Gauti empirinio tyrimo rezultatai (vyrų stipresnė autoritarizmo, homofobijos ir seksizmo raiška, minėtų nepakantos formų teigiamas koreliacinis ryšys) palyginti su analogiškais kitų autorių tyrimų duomenimis ir išvadomis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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