The Role of Sexual Orientation in Predicting Outcome Value and Communication Behaviors

The purpose of this study was to first, examine the role of sexual orientation in determining positive or negative predicted outcome value during initial interactions and second, to test predicted-outcome-value (POV) theory which posits that predicted outcome values are related to future communication behaviors. Participants, 284 students enrolled in introductory communication courses, completed one of two surveys. The two versions differed only in terms of the opening scenario which introduced a fictitious target whose sexual orientation was manipulated. The data from this study suggest that learning of an individual's sexual orientation during an initial encounter negatively influences predicted outcome value and subsequent communication behaviors. The results from this study remain important especially in light of recent research where interpersonal contact with gays and lesbians has been shown to increase heterosexuals ' attitudes toward this minority group. Contains 21 references and 2 tables of data. (Author/RS) Reproductions supplied by EDRS are the best that can be made from the original document