Perceptions of Multiply Stigmatized Individuals (2009 - Present)

Investigator:  Kelly Brooks, Roger Williams University
 

Abstract:  The majority of research on prejudice and stereotyping addresses stigmatized statuses singly. That is, separate theories and bodies of research address prejudice associated with race, gender, and sexual orientation (Fukuyama & Ferguson, 2000; Greene, 2000; Stanley, 2004). By focusing on one type of prejudice at a time, such approaches tend to assume majority group status on other identities, representing, for example, the experiences of lesbian, gay, and bisexual (LGB) persons who are White or African Americans who are heterosexual. As a result, prejudice directed toward people of color who are sexual minorities is neglected (Greene, 1994).

The proposed project is an experimental study that seeks to investigate prejudice toward individuals with multiple stigmatized statuses, specifically men and women of color who are lesbian or gay. Participants will be 350 undergraduate students (both male and female) participating for course credit. As part of a purported “Roommate Preferences” study, participants will be presented with a fictionalized profile of another student to rate as a potential roommate. Rating dimensions will include suitability as a roommate in a dorm, suitability as a roommate in an apartment, overall likeability, and perceived similarity to oneself. The research design is a factorial experiment in which student profiles will differ on the basis of race (African American or White), gender (male or female), and sexual orientation (gay/lesbian or heterosexual). It is expected that the multiple minority (Black and gay/lesbian) profiles will be rated the least favorably. The effects of participant sex and sex of target on roommate ratings will also be assessed.