In this research project, Arti Makwana, Dr Kristof Dhont and colleagues explore the role of Need for Cognitive Closure on transphobia. The researchers also explored the relationship between social-ideological attitudes (e.g., RWA and SDO) and traditional gender role beliefs and NFC and transphobia. The findings have important implications for educators, policy-makers (e.g., equality and human rights policies) and the LGBTQ community.
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Definitions:
RWA: People high in RWA are in favour of maintaining traditional socially conservative values and are more likely to obey authority (which they see as legitimate). They tend to be punitive towards people who do not adhere to authority and social norms
SDO: People high in SDO show greater preference for hierarchies within social systems and the domination of lower-status groups.
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About
The word ‘transgender’ is used to refer to persons whose gender identity does not usually correspond to their birth sex.
Transgender people are often victims of prejudice and discrimination that often include physical violence and harassment. Research has suggested that transgender people may arouse discomfort in some because they are seen to disrupt heteronormative gender roles. Others, however, are comfortable with this disruption to traditional ways of thinking about gender. Psychological research has shown that people who are more needing of clear order and structure, and have problems tolerating ambiguous situations are more likely to show prejudice. In psychological terms, these personality characteristics are termed ‘Need for Cognitive Closure’ (NFC).
Accordingly, sexual orientation that does not fall within typical gender norms (heteronormative norms), may cause particular discomfort to those high in NFC. In this research project, Makwana, Dhont and colleagues explore the role of NFC on transphobia. The researchers also explored the relationship between social-ideological attitudes (e.g., RWA and SDO) and traditional gender role beliefs and NFC and transphobia.
The findings have important implications for educators, policy-makers (e.g., equality and human rights policies) and the LGBTQ community.
Programme and methodology
Study 1:
•231 British undergraduate students completed questionnaires:
• Measures assessed:
• Need for closure
• Social dominance orientation
• Right-wing authoritarianism
• Traditional gender role beliefs
• Transphobia.
Study 2 (replication of Study 1 in different context):
• 175 Belgian participants completed questionnaires
• Measures assessed:
• Need for closure
• Right-wing authoritarianism
• Social dominance orientation
• Traditional gender role beliefs
• Transphobia
Findings
• Those high in NFC are more likely to show prejudice towards transgender people because of their high need for predictability and structure.
• This can, to a certain extent, be explained by the fact that those high in NFC are more likely to prefer more conventional values and social. |
hierarchies (RWA & SDO) which leads to more rigid and prescriptive expectations of appropriate behaviours for men and women
• NFC was positively related to RWA in the UK & Belgium. NFC was positively related to SDO in the UK sample.
• Those high in RWA and SDO are more likely to endorse traditional views, prefer structure and order and resist change.
• NFC is related to RWA and SDO and in turn, transphobia.
Impact
• The findings have important implications for policy-makers:
•The establishment of interventions aimed at positive intergroup contact between those high in NFC and transphobia could reduce prejudice
The findings offer important implications for educators and research:
• They offer novel findings regarding the role of NFC in transphobia
• They offer novel contributions regarding the role of RWA, SDO, NFC and gender beliefs in transphobia