Effects of Alcohol and Sexual Prejudice on Aggression Toward Sexual Minorities

Abstract

Objective: This study was the first to test the moderating effect of acute alcohol intoxication on the relation between heterosexual men's sexual prejudice and perpetration of aggression toward gay men and lesbians.

Method: Participants were 320 heterosexual men aged 21-30 recruited from a large southeastern United States city. Participants completed a measure of prejudice toward sexual minorities and were randomly assigned to one of eight experimental groups within a 2 (Beverage: Alcohol, No-Alcohol Control) × 2 (Opponent Gender: Male, Female) × 2 (Opponent Sexual Orientation: Homosexual, Heterosexual) design. Following beverage consumption, participants were provoked via reception of electric shocks from a fictitious opponent. Participants' physical aggression was measured using a shock-based aggression task.

Results: The association between sexual prejudice and aggression toward the gay male opponent was stronger among intoxicated, relative to sober, participants. This pattern of association was not observed among participants who competed against the heterosexual male, heterosexual female, or lesbian opponent.

Conclusions: Findings provide the first experimental evidence that alcohol intoxication moderates sexually-prejudiced aggression toward gay men. These data offer a first step toward understanding how alcohol facilitates bias-motivated aggression. Such knowledge contributes to the empirical foundation needed to guide the development of interventions for alcohol-related aggression toward sexual minorities.

Keywords: Aggression; Alcohol; Homophobia; Homosexuality (Attitudes Toward); Sexual Prejudice.

Figure 1

Effect of sexual prejudice and alcohol intoxication on aggression toward a gay male (top panel) and a heterosexual male (bottom panel).

Figure 2

Effect of sexual prejudice and alcohol intoxication on aggression toward a lesbian female (top panel) and a heterosexual female (bottom panel).