Parental Autonomy Support and Discrepancies Between Implicit and Explicit Sexual Identities: Dynamics of Self-Acceptance and Defense

• Published in: Journal of personality and social psychology 2012-04, Vol.102 (4), p.815-832
• Main Authors: Weinstein, Netta, Ryan, William S., DeHaan, Cody R., Przybylski, Andrew K., Legate, Nicole, Ryan, Richard M.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adolescent; Adult; Autonomy; Behavior. Attitude; Biological and medical sciences; Defensiveness; Discrepancies; Fathers - psychology; Female; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Homophobia; Homosexuality; Homosexuality (Attitudes Toward); Homosexuality - psychology; Hostility; Human; Humans; Independence (Personality); Male; Marital Status; Mothers - psychology; Parent-Child Relations; Parenting; Parenting Style; Parents; Parents & parenting; Personal Autonomy; Prejudice; Psychological Tests; Psychology. Psychoanalysis. Psychiatry; Psychology. Psychophysiology; Reaction Time - physiology; Self; Self Concept; Self Report; Self-Determination; Self-esteem; Self-Perception; Sex Factors; Sexual Orientation; Sexuality; Social psychology; Studies; Young Adult
• ISSN: 0022-3514; 1939-1315
• DOI: 10.1037/a0026854

When individuals grow up with autonomy-thwarting parents, they may be prevented from exploring internally endorsed values and identities and as a result shut out aspects of the self perceived to be unacceptable. Given the stigmatization of homosexuality, individuals perceiving low autonomy support from parents may be especially motivated to conceal same-sex sexual attraction, leading to defensive processes such as reaction formation. Four studies tested a model wherein perceived parental autonomy support is associated with lower discrepancies between self-reported sexual orientation and implicit sexual orientation (assessed with a reaction time task). These indices interacted to predict anti-gay responding indicative of reaction formation. Studies 2-4 showed that an implicit/explicit discrepancy was particularly pronounced in participants who experienced their fathers as both low in autonomy support and homophobic, though results were inconsistent for mothers. Findings of Study 3 suggested contingent self-esteem as a link between parenting styles and discrepancies in sexual orientation measures.