The role of peers in predicting students' homophobic behavior: effects of peer aggression, prejudice, and sexual orientation identity importance

V.P. Poteat, I. Rivers, O. Vecho

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article

5 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Drawing from an ecological framework, there has been growing attention to the role of peers in accounting for adolescents’ homophobic behavior. In this study, we considered whether individuals’ homophobic behavior could be attributed to their peers’ collective levels of aggression, sexual prejudice, and importance placed on their sexual orientation identity among 437 high school students (89% white; 61% female; M age = 15.72 years) in 62 peer groups identified through social network analysis. Using multilevel modeling, we found that individuals in more homophobic and aggressive peer groups engaged in even more homophobic behavior than accounted for based solely on their own individual prejudice attitudes and aggressive behavior. Furthermore, individuals’ sexual prejudice was a stronger predictor of their engagement in homophobic behavior for those in groups whose peers collectively placed greater importance on sexual orientation identity and were more aggressive. These findings begin to provide a fuller sense of how individual and peer attributes combine and interact in ways that account for individuals’ engagement in homophobic behavior.
LanguageEnglish
Pages391-406
Number of pages16
JournalSchool Psychology Review
Volume44
Issue number4
Publication statusPublished - 31 Dec 2015

Fingerprint

sexual orientation
Aggression
prejudice
Sexual Behavior
aggression
Peer Group
Students
peer group
student
Adolescent Behavior
Social Support
aggressive behavior
network analysis
social network
adolescent
school

Keywords

  • homophobia
  • bullying
  • sexual prejudice
  • peer groups
  • socializations
  • social identity

Cite this

Poteat, V.P. ; Rivers, I. ; Vecho, O. / The role of peers in predicting students' homophobic behavior : effects of peer aggression, prejudice, and sexual orientation identity importance. In: School Psychology Review. 2015 ; Vol. 44, No. 4. pp. 391-406.
@article{55b7e5c4ade94c61b0524a10b1448f3d,
title = "The role of peers in predicting students' homophobic behavior: effects of peer aggression, prejudice, and sexual orientation identity importance",
abstract = "Drawing from an ecological framework, there has been growing attention to the role of peers in accounting for adolescents’ homophobic behavior. In this study, we considered whether individuals’ homophobic behavior could be attributed to their peers’ collective levels of aggression, sexual prejudice, and importance placed on their sexual orientation identity among 437 high school students (89{\%} white; 61{\%} female; M age = 15.72 years) in 62 peer groups identified through social network analysis. Using multilevel modeling, we found that individuals in more homophobic and aggressive peer groups engaged in even more homophobic behavior than accounted for based solely on their own individual prejudice attitudes and aggressive behavior. Furthermore, individuals’ sexual prejudice was a stronger predictor of their engagement in homophobic behavior for those in groups whose peers collectively placed greater importance on sexual orientation identity and were more aggressive. These findings begin to provide a fuller sense of how individual and peer attributes combine and interact in ways that account for individuals’ engagement in homophobic behavior.",
keywords = "homophobia, bullying, sexual prejudice, peer groups, socializations, social identity",
author = "V.P. Poteat and I. Rivers and O. Vecho",
year = "2015",
month = "12",
day = "31",
language = "English",
volume = "44",
pages = "391--406",
journal = "School Psychology Review",
issn = "0279-6015",
publisher = "National Association of School Psychologists",
number = "4",

}

Poteat, VP, Rivers, I & Vecho, O 2015, 'The role of peers in predicting students' homophobic behavior: effects of peer aggression, prejudice, and sexual orientation identity importance' School Psychology Review, vol. 44, no. 4, pp. 391-406.

The role of peers in predicting students' homophobic behavior : effects of peer aggression, prejudice, and sexual orientation identity importance. / Poteat, V.P.; Rivers, I.; Vecho, O.

In: School Psychology Review, Vol. 44, No. 4, 31.12.2015, p. 391-406.

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article

TY - JOUR

T1 - The role of peers in predicting students' homophobic behavior

T2 - School Psychology Review

AU - Poteat, V.P.

AU - Rivers, I.

AU - Vecho, O.

PY - 2015/12/31

Y1 - 2015/12/31

N2 - Drawing from an ecological framework, there has been growing attention to the role of peers in accounting for adolescents’ homophobic behavior. In this study, we considered whether individuals’ homophobic behavior could be attributed to their peers’ collective levels of aggression, sexual prejudice, and importance placed on their sexual orientation identity among 437 high school students (89% white; 61% female; M age = 15.72 years) in 62 peer groups identified through social network analysis. Using multilevel modeling, we found that individuals in more homophobic and aggressive peer groups engaged in even more homophobic behavior than accounted for based solely on their own individual prejudice attitudes and aggressive behavior. Furthermore, individuals’ sexual prejudice was a stronger predictor of their engagement in homophobic behavior for those in groups whose peers collectively placed greater importance on sexual orientation identity and were more aggressive. These findings begin to provide a fuller sense of how individual and peer attributes combine and interact in ways that account for individuals’ engagement in homophobic behavior.

AB - Drawing from an ecological framework, there has been growing attention to the role of peers in accounting for adolescents’ homophobic behavior. In this study, we considered whether individuals’ homophobic behavior could be attributed to their peers’ collective levels of aggression, sexual prejudice, and importance placed on their sexual orientation identity among 437 high school students (89% white; 61% female; M age = 15.72 years) in 62 peer groups identified through social network analysis. Using multilevel modeling, we found that individuals in more homophobic and aggressive peer groups engaged in even more homophobic behavior than accounted for based solely on their own individual prejudice attitudes and aggressive behavior. Furthermore, individuals’ sexual prejudice was a stronger predictor of their engagement in homophobic behavior for those in groups whose peers collectively placed greater importance on sexual orientation identity and were more aggressive. These findings begin to provide a fuller sense of how individual and peer attributes combine and interact in ways that account for individuals’ engagement in homophobic behavior.

KW - homophobia

KW - bullying

KW - sexual prejudice

KW - peer groups

KW - socializations

KW - social identity

UR - http://naspjournals.org/loi/spsr

M3 - Article

VL - 44

SP - 391

EP - 406

JO - School Psychology Review

JF - School Psychology Review

SN - 0279-6015

IS - 4

ER -

Poteat VP, Rivers I, Vecho O. The role of peers in predicting students' homophobic behavior: effects of peer aggression, prejudice, and sexual orientation identity importance. School Psychology Review. 2015 Dec 31;44(4):391-406.

Access to Document