Western Michigan University ScholarWorks at WMU Dissertations Graduate College 12-1996 A Comparison of Gay and Lesbian Sensitivity Trainings On Student Counselors’ Attitudes Toward Same Gender Sexual Behavior H. Dean Dorman Western Michigan University Follow this and additional works at: https://scholarworks.wmich.edu/dissertations Part of the Counseling Commons, and the Feminist, Gender, and Sexuality Studies Commons Recommended Citation Dorman, H. Dean, "A Comparison of Gay and Lesbian Sensitivity Trainings On Student Counselors’ Attitudes Toward Same Gender Sexual Behavior" (1996). Dissertations. 1690. https://scholarworks.wmich.edu/dissertations/1690 This Dissertation-Open Access is brought to you for free and open access by the Graduate College at ScholarWorks at WMU. It has been accepted for inclusion in Dissertations by an authorized administrator of ScholarWorks at WMU. For more information, please contact [email protected]. A COMPARISON OF GAY AND LESBIAN SENSITIVITY TRAININGS ON STUDENT COUNSELORS’ ATTITUDES TOWARD SAME GENDER SEXUAL BEHAVIOR by H. Dean Dorman A Dissertation Submitted to the Faculty of The Graduate College in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Education Department of Counselor Education and Counseling Psychology Western Michigan University Kalamazoo, Michigan December 1996 Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. A COMPARISON OF GAY AND LESBIAN SENSITIVITY TRAININGS ON STUDENT COUNSELORS’ ATTITUDES TOWARD SAME GENDER SEXUAL BEHAVIOR H. Dean Dorman, Ph.D. Western Michigan University, 1996 This study explored the effect of both gender and three different panel dis­ cussion formats on the positive modification of attitudes toward same gender sex­ ual behavior. Subjects were randomly assigned to either a control group or one of three treatment groups: (1) a live panel discussion, (2) a videotape of the live panel discussion with a facilitator, or (3) a videotape of the live panel discussion without a facilitator. Attitudes toward same gender sexual behavior were measured by pre- and posttests of the Attitudes Toward Lesbians and Gay Men Scale (ATLG) devel­ oped by Gregory Herek. Subjects in this study were 86 graduate students enrolled in counseling and/or psychology related programs at Western Michigan University and the University of North Carolina-Charlotte. Subjects were placed in the appropriate cells of a 2 X 4 factorial design and the data were analyzed using a Welch approximate t procedure. It was hypothesized that there would be no significant difference (p<.05) between subjects viewing the live panel discus­ sion and the subjects viewing either the videotape of the panel discussion with a facilitator, or the videotape of the panel discussion without a facilitator. Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. All null hypotheses were accepted except two. As hypothesized, there was no significant difference between subjects exposed to the live panel discussion and subjects viewing the videotape with a facilitator (p=.095) on attitudes toward same gender sexual behavior. There was a significant difference between subjects viewing the live panel discussion and subjects viewing the videotape without a facilitator (p=.008) on attitudes toward same gender sexual behavior. There was also a significant difference between the live panel discussion and the control group (p=.006). It was concluded that there was no significant statistical difference between a videotape of a live panel discussion with a facilitator and a control group. How­ ever, contrary to previous research, this study found no significant difference between gender. Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. INFORMATION TO USERS This manuscript has been reproduced from the microfilm master. UMI films the text directly from the original or copy submitted. Thus, some thesis and dissertation copies are in typewriter face, while others may be from any type of computer printer. The quality of this reproduction is dependent upon the quality of the copy submitted. Broken or indistinct print, colored or poor quality illustrations and photographs, print bleedthrough, substandard margins, and improper alignment can adversely affect reproduction. In the unlikely event that the author did not send UMI a complete manuscript and there are missing pages, these will be noted. Also, if unauthorized copyright material had to be removed, a note will indicate the deletion. Oversize materials (e.g., maps, drawings, charts) are reproduced by sectioning the original, beginning at the upper left-hand comer and continuing from left to right in equal sections with small overlaps. Each original is also photographed in one exposure and is included in reduced form at the back of the book. Photographs included in the original manuscript have been reproduced xerographically in this copy. Higher quality 6” x 9” black and white photographic prints are available for any photographs or illustrations appearing in this copy for an additional charge. Contact UMI directly to order. UMI A Bell & Howell Information Company 300 North Zeeb Road, Ann Arbor MI 48106-1346 USA 313/761-4700 800/521-0600 Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. UMI Number: 9715995 UMI Microform 9715995 Copyright 1997, by UMI Company. All rights reserved. This microform edition is protected against unauthorized copying under Title 17, United States Code. UMI 300 North Zeeb Road Ann Arbor, MI 48103 Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. Copyright by H. Dean Dorman 1996 Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS I would like to express my gratitude and appreciation to my chairperson, Dr. John Geisler, for his support and direction throughout this difficult process. I also wish to thank my good friends Rick Richards, John Wadkins and Dr. Daniel Nieto, who have helped me grow more than they will ever know. Lastly, no acknowledgment would be complete without thanking my wife for her patience and support, my sister Tanya for her encouragement, and my mother and father for always believing in me. H. Dean Dorman ii Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. TABLE OF CONTENTS ACKNOWLEDGMENTS ................................................................................. ii LIST OF TABLES..................................................................................................vi CHAPTER I. INTRODUCTION....................................................................................1 Origins of Homophobia.....................................................................5 Definition of Key Term s ...................................................................9 Description of the Problem A rea ..................................................... 9 Purpose of the Study........................................................................10 Statement of the Null Hypotheses.................................................12 Limitations of the Study ................................................................. 13 Summary of the Study ......................................................................15 II. REVIEW OF LITERATURE ............................................................. 16 Individual Homophobia................................................................... 16 Institutional Homophobia...............................................................18 Internalized Homophobia.............................................................. 21 Personality Factors and Homophobia ..........................................22 Reducing Homophobia................................................................... 24 Attitudes and Attitude Change ..................................................... 26 Audiovisual Material and Attitude Change ................................ 29 Chapter Summary............................................................................ 31 iii Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. Table of Contents-Continued CHAPTER III. RESEARCH DESIGN AND PROCEDURES.................................. 33 Method and Research D esign ........................................................33 Description of the Participants ..................................................... 34 T reatm ent..........................................................................................35 Instrumentation.................................................................................35 Development of a Gay and Lesbian P a n e l .................................. 38 Logistical Procedures ..................................................................... 40 Field Procedures.............................................................................. 42 Data Collection.................................................................................43 IV. R E SU L T S.................................................................................................44 Analysis of the D a ta ........................................................................44