Behavioral aspects of homonegativity

Abstract

The prevalence of anti-gay violence is a widespread problem calling for thorough study and effective solutions. Hudson and Ricketts (1980) viewed homonegativity as composed of cognitive, affective, and behavioral aspects. Patel (1989) developed the Self Report of Behavior Scale (SBS) to measure respondents' previous negative behaviors toward gay individuals. Other research using this scale has yielded useful information, and further study is needed to refine the now-evolved scale (SBS-R). Participants in the present study were 264 college students who completed the SBS-R, the Crowne-Marlowe Social Desirability Scale (CMSDS) and Hudson and Ricketts' Index of Attitudes Toward Homosexuals (IAH). A factor analysis of the SBS-R yielded two factors: "avoidance behaviors" and "aggressive behaviors" toward gays. High internal consistency as well as construct validity for the SBS-R were found. This reliable and valid measure of self-reported anti-gay behaviors should help advance our understanding of the relationships among the affective, cognitive, and behavioral aspects of homonegativity.