What predicts the willingness of heterosexual persons to behave in a positive or negative manner towards homosexual persons?

While we know much about what determines attitudes towards gays and lesbians, less research attention has been given to the determinants of behavioral intentions towards these sexual minorities. Our goal is to examine the factors associated with one’s intention to discriminate against gays and lesbians (negative behavior) and those associated with one’s intention to become involved in affirmative behaviors directed toward them (positive behavior). We are interested in whether socio-demographic characteristics, which are known predictors of attitudes, such as gender, age, education, religiosity and political orientation, also predict positive and negative behavioral intentions towards homosexuals. An additional goal is to investigate the role of both direct and indirect contact with gays and lesbians for the prediction of behavioral intentions. The study was conducted online, with 997 exclusively heterosexual participants. Scales, constructed for the purpose of this study, measured the propensity to discriminate against homosexuals, readiness to engage in activities directed towards the amelioration of homosexuals’ social status, direct and indirect contact, and socio-demographic characteristics. Results show that our participants are relatively ready to discriminate against homosexual persons in the areas of politics, workplace, and tenant rights. Also, they are not particularly ready to engage in affirmative activities, especially if these include more effort and direct contact with gays and lesbians. Men, older persons, more religious persons, more politically conservative persons, and those who had less direct contact with gays and lesbians were more prone to discriminate against them. Women, less religious persons, more politically liberal persons and those who had more direct and indirect contact with gays and lesbians were more ready to engage in affirmative actions. Results are discussed in light of their practical implications for education and prevention programs directed toward reducing discrimination and increasing affirmative action aimed to increase equality of homosexual persons in today’s society