LanguageTerm (authority = ISO 639-3:2007); (type = text)
English
Abstract (type = abstract)
In nine studies, my dissertation explored perceptual and attentional routes to transgender discrimination. Specifically, I explored whether, when, and why people’s perceptions of an individual’s gender-typicality differ when they learn the person is transgender versus non-transgender (cisgender). My dissertation had four primary aims. First, I sought to establish whether biases exist in the way people perceive transgender individuals. In Studies 1a, 1b, 2, and 3 I tested whether participants perceive a target differently upon learning they are transgender versus cisgender. Across studies, participants perceived a target labeled as transgender as less gender-congruent than the same target labeled as cisgender. Second, I tested why such differences might emerge. In Study 4, I tested whether selective attention to gender-incongruent features plays a role in biased perception. Upon learning a woman was transgender, participants attended to prototypically masculine regions of her body, which was associated with perceiving her as less feminine. Third, I explored when perceptual biases might be most likely to emerge. In Studies 5a and 5b, I examined target race as a moderator of perceptual biases. Differences in perceptions of gender-typicality emerged between targets labeled transgender versus cisgender for both Black and White targets; however, contrary to hypotheses, differences in perceptions of gender-typicality were not exaggerated toward Black transwomen. Fourth, I tested downstream negative consequences of such biases. In Study 6, perceptions of transwomen as less gender-congruent (i.e., less feminine) led to beliefs that it was less acceptable for them to behave in feminine ways and less endorsement that the target should be categorized as female. In Study 7, people behaved more aggressively toward transgender versus cisgender women. However, perceptions of transwomen as less gender-congruent did not mediate this relationship. By demonstrating that people see transgender individuals as less gender-typical, this work suggests perceptual biases may be one hurdle transgender individuals face in being recognized according to their expressed identities.
Subject (authority = local)
Topic
Transgender
Subject (authority = RUETD)
Topic
Psychology
Subject (authority = LCSH)
Topic
Transphobia
RelatedItem (type = host)
TitleInfo
Title
Rutgers University Electronic Theses and Dissertations
I hereby grant to the Rutgers University Libraries and to my school the non-exclusive right to archive, reproduce and distribute my thesis or dissertation, in whole or in part, and/or my abstract, in whole or in part, in and from an electronic format, subject to the release date subsequently stipulated in this submittal form and approved by my school. I represent and stipulate that the thesis or dissertation and its abstract are my original work, that they do not infringe or violate any rights of others, and that I make these grants as the sole owner of the rights to my thesis or dissertation and its abstract. I represent that I have obtained written permissions, when necessary, from the owner(s) of each third party copyrighted matter to be included in my thesis or dissertation and will supply copies of such upon request by my school. I acknowledge that RU ETD and my school will not distribute my thesis or dissertation or its abstract if, in their reasonable judgment, they believe all such rights have not been secured. I acknowledge that I retain ownership rights to the copyright of my work. I also retain the right to use all or part of this thesis or dissertation in future works, such as articles or books.