Psychological Reactance to Inclusivity Efforts on Sexual and Gender Minorities: Causes and Mitigation Strategies

Hostilities towards sexual and gender minorities (SGM) are rising in Western countries. This project explores one possible cause of this increase: psychological reactance to media content about SGM. Reactance occurs when we respond negatively because we feel our freedom of choice is being threatened. Reactance often happens when we feel pressured to act or think in a certain way. In this project, we will use randomized controlled online experiments and qualitative content analysis to explore whether media content on SGM topics triggers reactance and leads to more negative opinions about SGM. If this is the case, this could harm SGM communities and lead to more societal polarization. To address this, communicators must carefully assess the risk of triggering reactance. The ultimate goal of the project is to promote greater societal understanding, inclusion, and harmony. The project is conducted at the Department of Psychology at Åbo Akademi University.