Does majority support for minority rights impact perceived norms and psychological well‐being? An application to the LGBTIQ + context

Bibliographic Data

ID6338366
AuthorsLéïla Eisner (0000-0003-3268-1659, Department of Psychology Princeton University Princeton New Jersey USA), Tabea Hässler (0000-0002-9371-2423, Department of Psychology University of Zurich Zurich Switzerland), Emma F Thomas (0000-0001-8664-9748, College of Education, Psychology and Social Work Flinders University Adelaide South Australia Australia), Morgana Lizzio‐wilson (0000-0001-5446-8870, College of Education, Psychology and Social Work Flinders University Adelaide South Australia Australia), Craig Mcgarty (0000-0001-9798-7291, School of Psychology Western Sydney University Penrith New South Wales Australia), Winnifred Louis (0000-0003-2996-982X, School of Psychology University of Queensland St Lucia Queensland Australia)
Year2025
Volume46
Issue6
Pages1830-1857
Publication date2025-12-01
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenuePolitical Psychology (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 0162-895X • E-ISSN: 1467-9221
PublisherWiley (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1111/pops.70014
OpenAlexW4408627177
LanguageEN
Citations received2
References cited63

Several legislative changes following popular votes have transformed the rights of lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans, intersex, and queer (i.e., LGBTIQ+) people. We suggest these decisions to change laws serve as strong signals of public support (i.e., shifting the perceived societal norms), which may not only impact the well‐being of individuals directly targeted by these votes (LGBTIQ+ people) but also members of advantaged groups (cis‐heterosexual people) supporting or opposing such changes. Drawing on three preregistered analyses of longitudinal studies following votes in Switzerland (Study 1, 419 LGBTIQ+ people; Study 3, 619 LGBTIQ+ people and 247 cis‐heterosexual supporters) and Australia (Study 2, 189 cis‐heterosexual supporters and 195 cis‐heterosexual opponents), we find that legal changes extending LGBTIQ+ rights led to a positive shift in perceived norms. This positive shift also led to a change in the well‐being of LGBTIQ+ people in Study 1 but not in Study 3, suggesting that substantial variation in how people initially perceive the norm may be necessary for such changes to affect well‐being. No association was found between perceived norms and well‐being among cis‐heterosexual people in Studies 2 and 3. Together, these findings suggest that it is critical to focus on the socio‐psychological impacts of legal changes on people

Context (archaeology · Psychological well-being · Sexual minority · Sexual orientation · Electoral Systems and Political Participation · Gender Politics and Representation · LGBTQ Health, Identity, and Policy · Psychology · Social Psychology

Tools

Open DOIOpen Access