Work

National randomized experimental study finds no evidence of undergraduate bias against LGB biology instructors, even in LGB-unfriendly states

Year: 2025

Type: article

Abstract: Long-standing stigma against lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ+) individuals in academic biology dissuades instructors from revealing their identities to undergraduates. The threat of consequences following disclosure is assumed to be exacerbated in states with LGBTQ+ "unfriendly" reputations. To test this hypothesis, we conducted a national randomized experimental study of 2230 undergraduate biology students to assess the impact of brief instructor LGBTQ+ disclosure. Participants were randomly assigned to watch one of two teaching demonstration videos and evaluate an instructor actor. The videos were identical except, in one version, the instructor revealed an LGB identity. Across all of the participants, the reveal condition yielded moderately improved evaluations of the instructor. Despite the participants in low LGBTQ+ acceptance states perceiving that their peers would view instructor LGBTQ+ disclosure negatively, the states' LGBTQ+ acceptance did not predict the students' evaluations of the instructor actor. These findings suggest that, regardless of a state's LGBTQ+ acceptance, undergraduates' perceptions of instructors were unaffected by brief LGBTQ+ disclosure.

Source: BioScience

DOI: 10.1093/biosci/biaf040

Authors: Carly A Busch, Parth B Bhanderi, Sara E Brownell, Katelyn M Cooper

Institution: Arizona State University

Language: English

Topic: LGBTQ Health, Identity, and Policy

Subfield: Social Psychology

Field: Psychology

Domain: Social Sciences

SDGs: Quality education, Reduced inequalities

Open Access status: hybrid

Estimated APC paid: $5,088