Social Dominance Orientation and Self-Esteem as a Function of Manipulated Group Status Among Gay Men

Undergraduate Research ScholarshipExtending research on social dominance orientation (SDO), the present study compared the SDO of gay and heterosexual men. As members of a low-status group, gay men have lower SDO than heterosexual men. A positive correlation was found between general opposition to equality (OEQ), which is a component of SDO, and self-esteem (SE) for heterosexual men. Conversely, there was a negative relationship between OEQ and SE for gay men. When positively manipulating perceived group-status of gay men, the relationship between OEQ and SE reversed, so that participants of the high status manipulation showed a positive relationship between OEQ and SE similar to heterosexual men. SDO was once considered a static personality variable, but it is now shown that SDO varies based on the perception of an in-group‘s social position. Advisor: Marilynn Brewe