A Functional Approach to Understanding Attitudes toward AIDS Victims

• Published in: The Journal of social psychology Vol. 131; no. 6; pp. 761 - 768
• Main Authors: Leone, Christopher, Wingate, Cynthia
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Washington, DC Taylor & Francis Group 01.12.1991; Heldref; Clark University Press; Taylor & Francis Inc
• Subjects: Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome; Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome - psychology; Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome - transmission; Adolescent; Adult; AIDS; Attitude; Behavior. Attitude; Biological and medical sciences; Blood Transfusion - psychology; Female; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Homosexuality; Homosexuality - psychology; Humans; Male; Middle Aged; Perceptions; Psychology. Psychoanalysis. Psychiatry; Psychology. Psychophysiology; Social Attitudes; Social psychology; Social research; Substance Abuse, Intravenous - psychology; Victims; Human; Immunopathology; Drug addiction; Homosexuality; Transfusion; Attitude; AIDS; Functional analysis; Hemopathy; Responsibility; Attribution; Blood; Infection; Viral disease; Causality
• ISSN: 0022-4545; 1940-1183
• DOI: 10.1080/00224545.1991.9924663

Attitudes toward victims of AIDS were conceptualized as serving three possible functions: a value-expressive function (e.g., stigmatization), an ego-defensive function (e.g., homosexual prejudice), or a knowledge function (e.g., victim derogation). These functions were evaluated by having a sample of U.S. undergraduates respond to a victim who had contracted AIDS by one of three different means: a blood transfusion, a sexual encounter of a homosexual nature, or intravenous drug use. Subjects then indicated their beliefs about the victim'S responsibility for the disease, feelings toward the victim, and likely behavioral interactions with the victim. The findings provided most support for the knowledge function of attitudes toward AIDS victims.