Attitudes toward HIV-positives in dependence on their sexual orientation * Footnote. The author wishes to thank Margit E. Oswald and two anonymous reviewers for their helpful comments on an earlier draft of this paper.

Abstract

Homosexual HIV-positives suffer under a double stigma. Moreover, many heterosexuals still associate HIV/AIDS with homosexuality ( Herek & Capitanio, 1999 ). This study examined the connection between belief in a just world, sexual morality and values on the one hand and attitudes towards HIV-positives on the other. Hundred and ninety-nine subjects evaluated an HIV-positive target (homosexual for half of the subjects, heterosexual for the other half) by means of a semantic differential. Results: in general, homosexual HIV-positives were evaluated more negatively than heterosexual HIV-positives. A moderated regression analysis showed a significant effect of values on the rating of the target.