LGBT Attitudes Evaluation: 6-Item Test With 2 Constructs - Essay Sample

Introduction

The instrument comprises of six components that evaluate negative attitudes towards lesbians and gay men. It also contains a five-point Likert-type scale where individuals feel select what they feel about an item in the test (Morrison & Morrison, 2011). Additionally, the tool has two constructs that measure non-traditional negative opinions and attitudes towards gays and lesbians (Morrison & Morrison, 2002). It also has two scales which include attitude towards lesbians and attitudes towards gay men.

Unidimensionality or Multidimensionality of Construct(s), Domains(s), or Variables(s):

The test scales are unidimensional constructs where the researchers evaluate individuals' attitudes towards gay men and lesbians separately (Morrison & Morrison, 2011). A unidimensional construct comprises one measure, where a researcher evaluates participants' opinions or feelings using a high to low scale. In this case, the participant's attitudes towards gay men and lesbians are measured differently using a Likert scale and the results combined to produce the final results (Morrison & Morrison, 2011).

Theoretical and/or Empirical Foundations of the Instrument:

The measurement instrument was developed to measure the private attitudes f people towards gay men and lesbians. In the wake of the twenty-first century, public display of homophobia reduced significantly due to enhanced education concerning homosexuality and diversity campaigns (Morrison & Morrison, 2002). Nevertheless, private homophobic attitudes among the general public are present accounting for a higher number of depressions, discrimination, and substance abuse among members of the LGBTQ community (Morrison, 1998). The situation is caused by existing stereotypes in society towards homosexuality. Therefore, the developers, Morrisons created and validated the MHS-a reliable psychometric tool-to measure individuals' private attitudes (Morrison & Morrison, 2002).

Purpose

Purpose and Potential Uses of the Instrument

The primary purpose of the Modern Homonegativity Scale (MHS) is to evaluate individuals' attitudes towards gay men and lesbians. Notably, the tool does not measure traditional, religious, or moral factors contributing to individuals' homophobic tendencies and attitudes (Morrison & Morrison, 2011). However, it assesses homonegativism based on the beliefs that gay people exaggerate the significance of their sexual orientation, which prevents them from integrating with the mainstream culture and the ideology that gay people have illegitimate demands (Morrison & Morrison, 2011).

The tool is suitable for both teachers and students to measure their attitude towards members of the LGBTQ community. Additionally, the tool can be used to identify the different types of stereotypes that educators and school administrators have on towards the plight of LGBTQ members. Unlike other measures, the MHS can evaluate modern stereotypes towards LGBTQ persons such as the Gay Pride (Morrison, 1998).

Whom the Instrument is Designed:

The MHS was designed for the general adult population, adolescents' high school and college students in Canada (Morrison & Morrison, 2002).

Structure of the Instrument

The instrument consists of two studies which are issued differently to participants. One study focuses on attitudes towards gay men (MHS-G) while the other one is concerned with lesbians (MSH-L) (Gavlas, 2018).

Length of the Instrument, Including Number of Items

Originally, the MHS was a 50-item scale but was later reduced to a 12-item questionnaire. Each scale-MHS- G, and MHS-L-have twelve questions each, which participants answer using a five-point Likert scale (Morrison, 1998).

Format of the Instrument

The MHS has a format of a questionnaire where participants answer the questions by ticking the appropriate point of the Likert scale (Morrison & Morrison, 2002).

Administration

Instrument Administration Procedures

Researchers are supposed to issue the instrument after identifying a suitable sample size from the study population. The participants are informed of the intentions of the questionnaire and are often assured of their privacy. The study instrument is communicated to each participant through email and they are required to either follow a link or show up for a face to face interview. Moreover, participants are not required to write their names on the instrument, while answering to minimize bias. Noticeably, the instrument may be administered at any location within the school location depending on the participants' convenience.

Necessary Administrator Qualifications and/or Training

Administrators should have the ability to use advanced data analysis software such as ANOVA and SPSS to aid them to sort the information collected from the participants. Additionally, administrators should be trained on how to administer the measurement and analyze the data correctly. They should be free of bias or prejudice concerning the topic of study to improve the validity of the results.

Scoring Procedures of the Instrument:

The test takes less than five minutes to complete. In this case, participants respond by reporting the extent to which they disagree or agree with the provided MHS components. They are required to tread a statement and circle the number that shadows their opinion or belief (Morrison & Morrison, 2011). Moreover, total scores are obtained by summing participant's responses across all items in the instruments. Noticeably, factor or subscale scores are not calculated in the MHS.

Type of Scoring or Scaling

The MHS uses a five-point Likert-type scale which consists of strongly disagree, disagree, don' know, agree, and strongly agree elements. The MHS can also include a seven-point Likert-type scale; nevertheless, it has no noticeable psychometric variations from the five-point scale.

Evaluation

Evidence of Reliability

Reliability is concerned with the consistency of a measuring tool, which represents the extent to which an instrument reveals variable errors (Gavlas, 2018). According to Galvas (2018), the test is reliable for non-student and students' samples since it has high alpha coefficient values. The MHS Cronbach's alpha coefficients range from .84 o .91 for MHS-L and .81 to .95 for MHS-G (Morrison & Morrison, 2011).

Evidence of Validity

The validity of a test is defined as the ability of an instrument to evaluate what it claims to measure (Gavlas, 2018). The MHS is a valid measure of modern homonegativity towards gay men and lesbians. Firstly, the test has content validity since it measures all elements of the phenomenon it is supposed to evaluate. Initially, the test had 52 items, which were later reduced to 12 through a rigorous item selection process (Morrison, Kenny, & Harrington, 2005). Secondly, the test has empirical validity since its results correlate with those obtained from other tools measuring the same phenomena such as the Homophobia Scale created by Stokes and Raja. Thirdly, the scale has construct validity. According to Gavlas (2018), construct validity is the extent to which a tool produces results that are consistent with the background theory that the phenomenon under study is formulated.

Multicultural Application

Analysis of the Multicultural Application of the Instrument

The test can be used for multicultural comparison where its results are correlated with traditional factors contributing to homonegativity. For instance, the test measures modern beliefs concerning gay men and lesbians, which can be correlated to traditional elements such as patriotism, political conservatism, and religious fundamentalism.

Summary Evaluation and Critique

Strengths and Limitations

The modern homonegativity scale is an ideal instrument to measure people's attitude towards gay men and lesbians. One of its strengths is its high reliability due to its high Cronbach's alpha coefficients. Therefore, it can allow researchers to identify participants' attitudes towards members of the LGBTQ community without errors, improving the accuracy of the results. Additionally, the instrument has high construct validity, which ensures that its results align with its fundamental theory (Morrison et al., 2005). On the other hand, the instrument's limitation includes a lack of clear reflection on its social desirability bias and the inability to measure old-fashioned gay prejudice such as morality and religion.

The Use of the Instrument in Both an Applied and Research Context

The instrument is applicable in both applied and research contexts concerning prejudice against gay people. In a research context, researchers can use the tool to identify the reasons why people behave in a specific way towards embers of the LGBTQ community. For instance, in a school setting to identify educators' support for LGBTQ youth, the instrument can provide more information concerning private opinions that teachers may hold towards homosexuals that are not based on religion or morality. The tool has expanded the scope to include modern prejudices that might have emerged from recent interventions to reduce gay prejudice. Moreover, the instrument can be used in applied research to determine solutions to minimize prejudice and discrimination of LGBTQ youth. In this case, researchers can identify the dominant stereotypes and develop interventions to eliminate them.

Reference

Gavlas, J. T. (2018). Psychometric Properties of the Modern Homonegativity Scale in the Southern United States. Retrieved from https://pdfs.semanticscholar.org/91f2/6964fa28bce6092ba5f05cc9cc20f7377daa.pdf

Morrison, M. A. (1998). The Development and Validation of The Modern Homonegativity Scale (MHS) (Doctoral dissertation, UNIVERSITY OF NORTHERN BRITISH COLUMBIA).

Morrison, M. A., & Morrison, T. G. (2002). Development and validation of a scale measuring modern prejudice toward gay men and lesbian women. Journal of Homosexuality, 43(2), 15-37. doi:10.1300/J082v43n02_02

Morrison, M. A., & Morrison, T. G. (2011). Sexual orientation bias toward gay men and lesbian women: Modern homonegative attitudes and their association with discriminatory behavioral intentions. Journal of Applied Social Psychology, 41(11), 2573-2599. doi:10.1111/j.1559-1816.2011.00838.x

Morrison, T. G., Kenny, P., & Harrington, A. (2005). Modern prejudice toward gay men and lesbian women: Assessing the viability of a measure of modern homonegative attitudes within an Irish context. Genetic, Social, and General Psychology Monographs, 131(3), 219-250. doi:10.3200/MONO.131.3.219-250