Please contact our communications office for a full copy of the report.
Report
Identifying Psychological Responses of Stigmatized Groups to Referendums
June 2018
- Overview
- Highlights
- Report
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.