Hostilities towards sexual and gender minorities (SGM) are rising in Western countries. This project explores one possible cause of this increase: psychological reactance to SGM inclusivity efforts—such as public awareness campaigns or media coverage. Reactance occurs when people respond negatively because they feel their freedom of choice is threatened. It often happens when people feel pressured to act or think in a certain way. Using a large survey representative of the Finnish population, online survey experiments, and qualitative analysis, the project examines if and how SGM inclusivity efforts trigger reactance, and tests a communication intervention designed to reduce it. If SGM inclusivity efforts trigger reactance, this could harm SGM communities and deepen societal polarization. By identifying ways to lessen reactance, the project aims to foster constructive communication and societal harmony. The project is conducted at the Department of Psychology at Åbo Akademi University.

2026

2030