Sexual Orientation Beliefs

Previous studies which have measured beliefs about sexual orientation with either a single item, or a one-dimensional scale are discussed. In the present study beliefs were observed to vary along two dimensions: the "immutability" of sexual orientation and the "fundamentality" of a categorization of persons as heterosexuals and homosexuals. While conceptually related, these two dimensions were empirically distinct on several counts. They were negatively correlated with each other. Condemning attitudes toward lesbians and gay men were correlated positively with fundamentality but negatively with immutability. Immutability, but not fundamentality, affected the assimilation of a biological determinist argument. The relationship between sexual orientation beliefs and anti-gay prejudice is discussed and suggestions for empirical studies of sexual orientation beliefs are presented.