Personality Profiles of Homosexual Men and Women

Abstract

There has been surprisingly little research on possible differences between homosexual and heterosexual personalities, although the few studies that have been conducted suggest some interesting differences. We devised two hypothesis that may account for these differences. First, differences appear to reflect generalized social nonconformity and alienation due to the social stigmatization of the homosexual. Second, these differences seem to express a more specific tendency to deviation from socially normative sex roles. The two hypotheses imply a number of predictions concerning specific personality traits, which were tested by comparing the 16PF (Cattell, Eber, & Tatsuoka, 1970) personality profiles of a group of male (N = 34) and female (N = 31) homosexuals with those obtained from the two large student samples (male, N = 899 and female, N = 912) whose scores are commonly used as norms for the South African version of the 16PF. The findings suggested reasonably good support for the two hypotheses, particularly considering the limitations of the study with respect to the adequacy of the comparison groups used and the relative heterogeneity of the 16PF scale content.

Evidence that male sexual orientation is a matter of degree.

“…In addition, the scale is relatively specific to sexual orientation, having few other behavioral correlates (Long & Graham, 1991). Although other personality scales have occasionally obtained differences between heterosexual and homosexual men (e.g., Duckitt & du Toit, 1989;Evans, 1970), these have been neither consistent nor of comparable magnitude to those obtained with the Mf Scale. Moreover, where more reliable differences have been found, they have been obtained with related measures, such as the California Psychological Inventory Femininity Scale (Green, 1987;Pillard, 1990).…”

Sexual orientation and family development: Introduction.

“…Clinical reports of gay men and lesbians' experiences of their sexual education, both in the family and in the schools, have pointed out omissions that have contributed to feelings of alienation and confusion about sexuality and identity ( Duckitt & du Toit, 1989;Garnets & D 'Augelli, 1994;0 'Conor, 1993-94;&in-Williams, 1989). These examples articulate the distress that occurs in the clash between societal assumptions of heterosexuality and an individual or family's experience of homosexuality.…”

Marketing to the Homosexual (Gay) Market:

“…Male homosexuals overwhelmingly tend to be less masculine, more tender-minded, and less dominant than heterosexual males. At the same time, however, homosexual males are more unconventional and less submissive to authority than heterosexual males (Duckitt and duToit, 1989). On the other hand, Hassell and Smith (1975) found that female homosexuals are more dominant, independent, and tough-minded than heterosexual females.…”