Contextual and Moderating Effects of the Peer Group Climate on Use of Homophobic Epithets

Abstract. The current investigation examined how homophobic and aggressive social climates of adolescent peer groups accounted for students' use of homophobic epithets and engagement in homophobic banter using multilevel modeling. Results indicated that aggressive peer group social climates accounted for increased use of epithets, over and above individuals' own reported bullying behavior. Furthermore, the homophobic social climate moderated individuals' engagement in homophobic banter, such that being called a homophobic epithet had a stronger predictive effect of calling other students these epithets for individuals in more homophobic peer groups. Findings support the need for research to study the way in which individuals' homophobic behavior can be accounted for based on their interactions with friends and the social processes occurring within their immediate environment. ********** Homophobia among adolescents remains an understudied yet prominent social issue relevant to several interrelated areas of research within schools. Homophobia includes negative attitudes, beliefs, and behaviors toward nonheterosexual individuals and behavior (Herek, 1988; Wright, Adams, & Bernat, 1999). Specific to homophobic behavior, this can include verbal, physical, and relational aggression that contains homophobic themes or references, such as the use of pejoratives and homophobic epithets, toward other students. These behaviors have been increasingly examined in relation to general aggressive behavior and more serious violent behavior occurring within schools (Kimmel & Mahler, 2003; Poteat & Espelage, 2005; Rivers, 2001), and in research examining the enforcement of gender-normative behavior and sexual harassment (Epstein, 2001; Fineran, 2002; Phoenix, Frosh, & Pattman, 2003; Plummer, 2001). Studies have also documented the psychological and social consequences resulting from being the target of homophobic epithets and other forms of homophobic behavior (D'Augelli, Pilkington, & Hershberger, 2002; Poteat & Espelage, 2007; Rivers, 2001). Although information on the prevalence and consequences of expressed homophobic attitudes and epithets among students has been documented more frequently, limited research has examined the way in which the broader social context of individuals' peer groups accounts for their engagement in this behavior. Therefore, the current investigation builds upon the empirical literature by testing the extent to which the broader group context accounts for the use of homophobic epithets. During adolescence, individuals' peer groups become increasingly important and provide a primary source of social interaction and support (Berndt, 2004; Eder & Nenga, 2003). Although this can provide an opportunity to successfully master a number of development tasks and promote prosocial development, peer groups can also perpetuate disruptive and unhealthy norms and behavior such as aggression, antisocial behavior, and smoking (Dishion, McCord, & Poulin, 1999; Dodge, Price, & Coie, 1990; Ennett & Bauman, 1994). Specific to research on aggression, findings have consistently documented the significance of the group context in accounting for individuals' bullying attitudes and behavior (Espelage, Holt, & Henkel, 2003; Ojala & Nesdale, 2004; Pepler & Craig, 1995; Salmivalli & Voeten, 2004; Sutton & Smith, 1999). These findings indicate that bullying generally occurs within a larger group context with multiple individuals involved (Pepler & Craig, 1995; Salmivalli, Lagerspetz, Bjorkqvist, Osterman, & Kaukiainen, 1996; Sutton & Smith, 1999), and that the social context of the group significantly accounts for and influences individuals' bullying attitudes and behaviors (Espelage et al., 2003; Henry et al., 2000; Salmivalli & Voeten, 2004). Contributing to a broader theoretical base, this research has also offered empirical support for the homophily hypothesis (Kandel, 1978) that individuals within friendship groups are similar on various attitudinal and behavioral characteristics. …