| Abstract: | Examined the effects of gender and sexual orientation of petitioning parents on attitudes about child custody decisions among 274 undergraduates who were either high or low in homophobia. In Phase 1, Ss completed the Heterosexual Attitudes Toward Homosexuals Scale and the Kinsey Heterosexual-Homosexual Rating Scale that were embedded in a general questionnaire on social attitudes. In Phase 2, the same Ss were asked to give their opinions about the outcome of contrived custody cases where the parent winning custody was homosexual or heterosexual. There was less support for a homosexual than a heterosexual parent. This was particularly noticeable for male Ss. Unexpectedly, mothers were not favored over fathers; instead, Ss favored parents of their own gender. Ss who scored low in homophobia reacted more favorably to a homosexual parent than a heterosexual parent, while the reverse was true for those scoring high in homophobia. (French abstract) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved) |
