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Report
Identifying Psychological Responses of Stigmatized Groups to Referendums
June 2018
Public votes and referendums on the rights of marginalized communities are used in 27 states. This study examines the psychological well-being of LGBT people residing in areas with a high volume of referendum-related media campaigns and those living in areas without advertisements. It was published in PNAS in April 2018.
Highlights
The study examined data from four states--Maine, Maryland, Minnesota, and Washington--that had marriage equality measures on the 2012 ballot.
It also looked at how potential exposure to campaign-related ads affected three psychological outcomes: stress, felt emotions, and behavior.
LGBT people were more likely to be stressed by increased televised campaign advertisements and saddened by opposition ads than non-LGBT people.