Contact, Threat, and Attitudes toward Same-sex Marriage and its Beneficiaries

Abstract

This study investigated relationships between contact experiences and perceived threat on attitudes toward same-sex marriage and its beneficiaries. 367 self-identified heterosexual college students completed a series of measures addressing contact experiences (both positive and negative), realistic and symbolic threat from same-sex marriage, and eight outcome measures including attitudes toward same-sex marriage, stereotypes, feelings, and emotional reactions. Broadly, findings support Intergroup Contact Theory’s proposition that favorable contact experiences relate to less bias and Intergroup Threat Theory’s proposition that feelings of threat relate to prejudice. Threats demonstrated an indirect effect on the contact-prejudice relationship with more consistent effect for realistic threat.