The gender identity effect in hypothetical transgressions: a mixed approach exploring undergraduates' attitudes toward transgender individuals

Abstract

The present study explored the relationship between attitudes toward transgender individuals and the judgments people make in transgression scenarios involving transgender and cisgender individuals of different ages in a sample of 184 Romanian students. We used a mixed-method approach (quantitative and qualitative) and tested the effect of gender identity (cisgender or transgender) on participants' punishments in a hypothetical transgression (i.e., theft). In hypothetical transgressions involving preadolescent transgender and cisgender agents, results suggested no differences in participants' theft punishments. However, adult cisgender transgressors received significantly harsher punishments compared to transgender transgressors. Our qualitative analyses (N=736) suggested that the most frequent categories of responses justifying the punishments confirmed the importance of the agent's age. Our findings suggested no significant associations between participants' gender and reported the previous contact with an LGBTQ member and the punishments they chose for child and adult transgressors. Results are discussed in light of their implication in the contemporary, highly LGBTQ intolerant Romanian context.