The effect of ways of informing about transexuality on student attitudes

Cilj provedenog istraživanja bio je ispitati utjecaj različitog načina informiranja o transpolnosti na stavove studenata u Republici Hrvatskoj prema transpolnim osobama. Ispitivanje je provedeno online putem na 568 studenata visokih učilišta u Republici Hrvatskoj. Tri nezavisne skupine sudionika informirane su o transpolnosti na različite načine (definicija transpolnosti, vinjeta s pričom transpolne osobe i YouTube tranzicijski video). Afektivna komponenta stava prema transpolnosti izmjerena je prije i neposredno poslije informiranja, pomoću skala semantičkog diferencijala na 15 bipolarnih pridjeva. Kognitivna komponenta ovog stava izmjerena je pomoću 7 tvrdnji o transpolnosti, a ponašajna komponenta pomoću 10 čestica o slaganju sudionika s pravima transpolnih osoba. Hipoteze su djelomično potvrđene; sudionici koji su gledali tranzicijski video i koji su čitali vinjetu iskazali su značajnu pozitivnu promjenu afektivne komponente stava prema transpolnosti, dok kod sudionika koji su čitali definiciju nije bilo promjene. Razlike u kognitivnoj i ponašajnoj komponenti ovog stava s obzirom na tri načina informiranja također su potvrđene; sudionici koji su o transpolnosti informirani na osobnije i detaljnije načine, na nekim su česticama izrazili pozitivniju kognitivnu i ponašajnu komponentu stava. U usporedbi sa studentima, studentice su uglavnom izrazile pozitivniju afektivnu, kognitivnu i ponašajnu komponentu stava. Rezultati ukazuju na to da bi osobniji i detaljniji način informiranja o transpolnim osobama mogao pridonijeti smanjenju društvene transfobije.The aim of the study was to examine the effect of different ways of informing about transexuality on student attitudes in Croatia toward transexuals. The survey was conducted online with 568 higher education students in Croatia. Three independent groups of participants were informed about transexuality through different ways (the definition of transexuality, a vignette with a story of a transexual person and a YouTube transition timeline video). The affective component of the attitude toward transexuality was measured before and immediately after the informing, with semantic differential scales on 15 bipolar adjectives. The cognitive component of this attitude was measured with 7 statements about transexuality, and the behavioral component with 10 items about participants; consent with transexual people;s rights. Hypotheses were partially confirmed; participants who watched the transition timeline video and the ones who read the vignette expressed significant positive change of the affective component of the attitude toward transexuality, while participants who read the definition showed no change. Differences in the cognitive and behavioral component of this attitude considering three ways of informing were also confirmed; participants who were informed about transexuality through more personal and detailed ways, in some items expressed more positive cognitive and behavioral component of this attitude. Compared to male students, female students mostly expressed more positive affective, cognitive and behavioral component of the attitute. The results indicate that more personal and detailed ways of informing about transexuals could contribute to reducing social transphobia