Amidst the ongoing public discourse on LGBTQ+ rights, it is crucial to examine the impact on individuals who identify with this community. Researchers Billur Aksoy and Ian Chadd from Rensselaer conducted an experiment to investigate whether individuals strategically hide signals of their LGBTQ+ affinity in anticipation of discrimination.
Their study titled “Sexual identity, gender, and anticipated discrimination in prosocial behavior” has been published in the latest issue of the European Economic Review.
Aksoy, Chadd, and their co-author Boon Han Koh from the University of East Anglia created an online environment where recipients could indicate their LGBTQ+ affinity by choosing icons, including the Pride flag. Decision-makers then determined how much money to share with the recipients based on these signals.
The researchers discovered that when recipients were informed that their signals would be revealed to decision-makers, heterosexual and lesbian women were significantly less likely to display their LGBTQ+ affinity. The results for men, however, did not show statistical significance. While decision-makers did not discriminate against recipients based on these signals on the whole, their political stances on social issues and views on LGBTQ+ rights influenced their sharing behavior.
“We found that anti-LGBTQ+ attitudes have an impact on economic outcomes: decision-makers who held more bias against the LGBTQ+ community shared less of their earnings with recipients they perceived to be LGBTQ+,” stated Chadd.
The paper suggests that awareness and personal experiences of discrimination based on other aspects of identity, particularly gender inequality, may cause women to conceal their LGBTQ+ affinity. This notion is supported by the documented gender gap in beliefs about the prevalence of discrimination against sexual minorities.
“We observe that women, regardless of sexual orientation, are more likely to anticipate discrimination against sexual minority individuals. Consequently, they are inclined to hide signals of their LGBTQ+ affinity,” explained Aksoy.
The researchers believe that understanding the behavior surrounding the display of LGBTQ+ affinity is crucial as concealing one’s identity can lead to stress and potential avoidance of certain career paths and institutions due to anticipated discrimination.
“Economic experiments provide valuable insights into causal relationships within a controlled environment, where decisions carry real monetary consequences. By utilizing these tools, we can gain a better understanding of the economic experiences and unique challenges faced by LGBTQ+ individuals in their daily lives,” added Aksoy.
More information:
Billur Aksoy et al, Sexual identity, gender, and anticipated discrimination in prosocial behavior, European Economic Review (2023). DOI: 10.1016/j.euroecorev.2023.104427
Citation:
Study examines women’s strategic concealment of LGBTQ+ affinity (2023, June 19)
retrieved 19 June 2023
from https://phys.org/news/2023-06-women-strategic-concealment-lgbtq-affinity.html
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Shambhu Kumar is a science communicator, making complex scientific topics accessible to all. His articles explore breakthroughs in various scientific disciplines, from space exploration to cutting-edge research.
