Homophobia Associated with Homosexual Arousal?
Posted by Ray @ 3:28 pmThis is the title of an old study done by University of Georgia psychologists (1996), and the answer is yes (subject, of course, to the usual uncertainties). Funny that we knew of this phenomnenon a decade ago, yet despite high publicity (Ted Haggart, anyone?) it never gets mentioned.
Abstract:
Participants consisted of a group of homo-phobic men (n = 35) and a group of nonhomophobic men (n = 29)… Both groups exhibited increases in penile circumference to the heterosexual and female homosexual videos. Only the homophobic men showed an increase in penile erection to male homosexual stimuli… Homophobia is apparently associated with homosexual arousal that the homophobic individual is either unaware of or denies.
Of course, the study doesn’t take into account many things (childhood trauma, religious indoctrination), but is interesting nonetheless.
[PDF link, Google cache HTML link]
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