The self-perception of fifty-three American homosexuals :male and female

Purpose: The objectives of this study were: (1) to determine certain demographic characteristics of respondents in order to ascertain whether they could be related to the respondents’ homosexuality: (2) to determine if there were significant differences between male and female respondents vis a vis certain variables: (3) to determine how the respondents view themselves regarding their own deviance and how they view heterosexual society. Methods: The methods used in this study were; (1) the collection of data concerning the respondents’ formative years and current ideas from a questionnaire and Tennessee Self-Concept Scale (TSCS): (2) the comparison of data from the questionnaire and the TSCS using statistics as the basis of comparison, and employing logic and the computer complex at Sam Houston State University to determine the significance of the data: (3) conducting a computer analysis of this data via square through use of the computer complex at the University:(4) conducting a computer analysis of the data from TSCS: (5) considering all results with a probability of .05 or less as significant. Findings: 1. The study also indicates that there is a significant correlation between sexual category of the respondents and one variable from the questionnaire. 2. They study also indicates that there is a significant correlation between sexual category of the respondents and one variable (behavior) from the TSCS. 3. The respondents indicated that they do feel uncomfortable at some time in their encounters with heterosexual society even through their deviance is an unknown factor. 4. More men than women in the sample indicated ambivalence in their deviance, i.e. , wished that they were not homosexual. 5. Many of the respondents viewed their homosexuality as an accident of birth, but several others indicated that their deviance was the result of conscious psychological choice. The data did not indicate that the majority of respondents viewed their deviant commitment as irreversible. 6. The study indicated that generally the Lesbians in the sample were much better adjusted in their deviance than were the male homosexuals. 7. The TSCS results also indicated a greater amount of anxiety about their deviance among the males in the sample. 8. The data indicated that the deviants are in general agreement regarding their views on heterosexual society: that their deviance is “not so Bad� and they view general society with noteworthy disdain