Normative pressure to reduce prejudice against homosexuals: The buffering role of beliefs about the nature of homosexuality

Normative influence and lay theories about homosexuality are central factors to understanding prejudiced attitudes against homosexuals. In this article, we analysed whether the influence of normative pressure to reduce homophobic prejudice depended on individuals' endorsement of beliefs about the nature of homosexuality. Study 1 showed that the relationship between the normative inappropriateness of prejudice and homophobic prejudice is moderated by religious and biological beliefs about homosexuality. Study 2 experimentally demonstrated that the pressure of the anti-prejudice norm only reduces homophobic prejudice among participants whose endorsement of biological or religious beliefs about the nature of homosexuality was less strong. Study 3 replicated these results and demonstrated that normative pressure also led to increases in behaviour favouring homosexuals. This pattern of results indicates that prejudice against homosexuals can be malleable to normative influence depending on individual differences in beliefs about the nature of homosexuality. These findings are discussed within the framework of literature on the conditions that nullify the normative influence in reducing prejudice against stigmatised groups.