nach oben

Sexuality Research and Social Policy

Erschienen in:

03.02.2022

“Pattern Matters”: a Latent Class Analysis of Internet Use and Users’ Attitudes Toward Homosexuality in China

verfasst von: Zurong Liang, Yu-Te Huang, Yu-Chih Chen, Lik Sam Chan

Erschienen in: Sexuality Research and Social Policy | Ausgabe 4/2022

Einloggen

Aktivieren Sie unsere intelligente Suche, um passende Fachinhalte oder Patente zu finden.

search-config

KI-gestützte Suche

Aus

Abstract

Introduction

Studies have identified an association between Internet use frequency and users’ attitudes toward homosexuality. According to the uses and gratifications perspective, users are diverse in their needs and expectations for using mass media and communication technologies and such diversity might also be involved in their attitudes toward sexual minority people. However, limited research has been conducted to examine this association. This study aimed to develop a typology to illustrate distinct patterns of Internet use patterns and to examine the variation in attitudes towards homosexuality as a function of Internet use patterns.

Methods

By using a subsample (n = 1021) aged 18–37 years from the Chinese General Social Survey collected in 2017, we performed latent class analysis to identify distinct subgroups of online activity engagement. Multiple ordered logistic regression was used to explore the relationships between the profiles of Internet use and attitudes toward homosexuality.

Results

The latent class analysis yielded a typology which classified the Internet users into active participators, pragmatic users, entertainment users, and idle users. Controlling for demographic, socioeconomic, and confounding factors as well as weekly hours spent on the Internet, the multivariate analyses indicated that idle users were less likely to accept homosexuality than active participators and pragmatic users were.

Conclusions

This study suggests that Internet users’ attitudes toward homosexuality is associated with not only their frequency of Internet use but also their patterns of engagement in online activities. These findings add to the knowledge about the drivers of societal attitudes toward homosexuality and can inform policies to promote inclusion and diversity.

Vorheriger Artikel Barriers and Facilitators for Formulation and Implementation of a Sex Education Programme in Saudi Arabia: Stakeholders’ Perspective

Nächster Artikel The Nature and Impact of Informal Mental Health Support in an LGBTQ Context: Exploring Peer Roles and Their Challenges

Sie haben noch keine Lizenz? Dann Informieren Sie sich jetzt über unsere Produkte:

Springer Professional "Wirtschaft+Technik"

Online-Abonnement

Mit Springer Professional "Wirtschaft+Technik" erhalten Sie Zugriff auf:

über 102.000 Bücher
über 537 Zeitschriften

aus folgenden Fachgebieten:

Automobil + Motoren
Bauwesen + Immobilien
Business IT + Informatik
Elektrotechnik + Elektronik
Energie + Nachhaltigkeit
Finance + Banking
Management + Führung
Marketing + Vertrieb
Maschinenbau + Werkstoffe
Versicherung + Risiko

Jetzt Wissensvorsprung sichern!

Jetzt informieren

Springer Professional "Wirtschaft"

Online-Abonnement

Mit Springer Professional "Wirtschaft" erhalten Sie Zugriff auf:

über 67.000 Bücher
über 340 Zeitschriften

aus folgenden Fachgebieten:

Bauwesen + Immobilien
Business IT + Informatik
Finance + Banking
Management + Führung
Marketing + Vertrieb
Versicherung + Risiko

Jetzt Wissensvorsprung sichern!

Jetzt informieren

Nur mit Berechtigung zugänglich

There are 56 officially recognized ethnic groups in China. The largest group is Han, accounting for around 91% of the country’s total population according to the seventh national census in 2020.

Al-Kandari, A., & Hasanen, M. (2012). The impact of the Internet on political attitudes in Kuwait and Egypt. Telematics and Informatics, 29(3), 245–253. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tele.2011.10.005CrossRef

Ayoub, P. M., & Garretson, J. (2017). Getting the message out: Media context and global changes in attitudes toward homosexuality. Comparative Political Studies, 50(8), 1055–1085. https://doi.org/10.1177/0010414016666836CrossRef

Barrantes, R., & Vargas, E. (2019). Different paths and same destinations? An analysis of the convergence in Internet usage patterns between age groups. The Electronic Journal of Information Systems in Developing Countries, 85(6), e12105. https://doi.org/10.1002/isd2.12105CrossRef

Bian, Y., & Li, L. (2012). The Chinese General Social Survey (2003–8): Sample designs and data evaluation. Chinese Sociological Review, 45(1), 70–97. https://doi.org/10.2753/CSA2162-0555450104CrossRef

Brant, R. (1990). Assessing proportionality in the proportional odds model for ordinal logistic regression. Biometrics, 46(4), 1171–1178. https://doi.org/10.2307/2532457CrossRefPubMed

Chang, J., & Ren, H. (2017). Keep silent, keep sinful: Mainstream newspapers’ representation of gay men and lesbians in contemporary China. Indian Journal of Gender Studies, 24(3), 317–340. https://doi.org/10.1177/0971521517716765CrossRef

Chen, G. M. (2011). Tweet this: A uses and gratifications perspective on how active Twitter use gratifies a need to connect with others. Computers in Human Behavior, 27(2), 755–762. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chb.2010.10.023CrossRef

Cheng, Y.-H.A., Wu, F.-C.F., & Adamczyk, A. (2016). Changing attitudes toward homosexuality in Taiwan, 1995–2012. Chinese Sociological Review, 48(4), 317–345. https://doi.org/10.1080/21620555.2016.1199257CrossRef

Chi, X., & Hawk, S. T. (2016). Attitudes towards same-sex attraction and behavior among Chinese university students: Tendencies, correlates, and gender differences. Frontiers in Psychology, 7, 1592. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2016.01592CrossRefPubMedPubMedCentral

China Internet Network Information Center. (2018). The 41st China statistical report on Internet development. The CCCPC’s Office of the Central Cyberspace Affairs Commission. http://www.cac.gov.cn/2018-01/31/c_1122347026.htm

Collins, L. M., & Lanza, S. T. (2010). Latent class and latent transition analysis: With applications in the social, behavioral, and health sciences. John Wiley & Sons.

deLisle, J., Goldstein, A., & Yang, G. (2016). The Internet, social media, and a changing China. University of Pennsylvania Press.

Dhoest, A. (2016). Media, visibility and sexual identity among gay men with a migration background. Sexualities, 19(4), 412–431. https://doi.org/10.1177/1363460715604330CrossRef

Dunbar, R. I. M. (2016). Do online social media cut through the constraints that limit the size of offline social networks? Royal Society of Open Science, 3(1), 150292–150292. https://doi.org/10.1098/rsos.150292CrossRef

Eynon, R., & Malmberg, L.-E. (2011). A typology of young people’s Internet use: Implications for education. Computers and Education, 56(3), 585–595. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.compedu.2010.09.020CrossRef

Feng, Y. P. D., Lou, C. M. D., Gao, E. M. D., Tu, X. P. D., Cheng, Y. P. D., Emerson, M. R., & Zabin, L. S. P. D. (2012). Adolescents’ and young adults’ perception of homosexuality and related factors in three Asian cities. Journal of Adolescence Health, 50(3), S52–S60. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jadohealth.2011.12.008CrossRef

Flanagin, A. J., & Metzger, M. J. (2001). Internet use in the contemporary media environment. Human Communication Research, 27(1), 153–181. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1468-2958.2001.tb00779.xCrossRef

Gromadzki, J. (2019). Measurement of attitudes towards homosexuality: Testing measurement invariance across European countries. Quality & Quantity, 53(6), 2685–2694. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11135-019-00880-yCrossRef

Hancock, G. R., & Samuelsen, K. M. (2008). Advances in latent variable mixture models. Information Age Pub.

Ho, P. S. Y., & Hu, Y. (2016). Pray the gay away: Identity conflict between Christianity and sexuality in Hong Kong sexual minorities. Gender, Place and Culture: A Journal of Feminist Geography, 23(12), 1725–1737. https://doi.org/10.1080/0966369X.2016.1249348CrossRef

Hu, K., & Li, X. (2019). The effects of media use and traditional gender role beliefs on tolerance of homosexuality in China. Chinese Sociological Review, 51(2), 147–172. https://doi.org/10.1080/21620555.2019.1595567CrossRef

Huang, Y. (2018). Media representation of Tongxinglian in China: A case study of the People’s Daily. Journal of Homosexulity, 65(3), 338–360. https://doi.org/10.1080/00918369.2017.1317475CrossRef

Jamieson, K. H., & Cappella, J. N. (2008). Echo chamber: Rush Limbaugh and the conservative media establishment. Oxford University Press.

Jin, P., & Wan, X. (2020). Tolerance of the general public to homosexuality based on big data analysis. International Conference on Application of Intelligent Systems in Multi-Modal Information Analytics. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-51431-0_110CrossRef

Katz, E., Blumler, J. G., & Gurevitch, M. (1973). Uses and gratifications research. Public Opinion Quarterly, 37(4), 509–523. https://doi.org/10.1086/268109CrossRef

Kaur, P., Dhir, A., Chen, S., Malibari, A., & Almotairi, M. (2020). Why do people purchase virtual goods? A uses and gratification (U&G) theory perspective. Telematics and Informatics, 53, 101376. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tele.2020.101376CrossRef

King, G., Pan, J., & Roberts, M. E. (2014). Reverse-engineering censorship in China: Randomized experimentation and participant observation. Science (american Association for the Advancement of Science), 345(6199), 1251722–1251722. https://doi.org/10.1126/science.1251722CrossRef

Liao, S. (2019). “#IAmGay# what about you?”: Storytelling, discursive politics, and the affective dimension of social media activism against censorship in China. International Journal of Communication, 13, 2314–2333.

Liu, J., Cheng, M., Wei, X., & Yu, N. N. (2020). The Internet-driven sexual revolution in China. Technological Forecasting & Social Change, 153, 119911. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.techfore.2020.119911CrossRef

Lo, Y., Mendell, N. R., & Rubin, D. B. (2001). Testing the number of components in a normal mixture. Biometrika, 88(3), 767–778. https://doi.org/10.1093/biomet/88.3.767CrossRef

Ma, C. M. S. (2018). A latent profile analysis of Internet use and its association with psychological well-being outcomes among Hong Kong Chinese early adolescents. Applied Research Quality Life, 13(3), 727–743. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11482-017-9555-2CrossRef

Meeusen, C., Meuleman, B., Abts, K., & Bergh, R. (2018). Comparing a variable-centered and person-centered approach to the structure of prejudice. Social Psychological & Personality Science, 9(6), 645–655. https://doi.org/10.1177/1948550617720273CrossRef

Muthén, L. K., & Muthén, B. O. (2017). Mplus user’s guide (8th ed.). Muthén & Muthén.

Neubaum, G., Sobieraj, S., Raasch, J., & Riese, J. (2020). Digital destigmatization: How exposure to networking profiles can reduce social stereotypes. Computers in Human Behavior, 112, 106461. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chb.2020.106461CrossRef

Nguyen, T. Q. M. S. M. H. S. P. D., & Blum, R. W. M. D. P. D. (2014). Homosexuality tolerance among male and female Vietnamese youth: An examination of traditional sexual values, self-esteem, and demographic/contextual characteristics. Journal of Adolescence Health, 55(6), 823–829. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jadohealth.2014.07.011.CrossRef

Nylund, K. L., Asparouhov, T., & Muthén, B. O. (2007). Deciding on the number of classes in latent class analysis and growth mixture modeling: A Monte Carlo simulation study. Structural Equation Modeling, 14(4), 535–569. https://doi.org/10.1080/10705510701575396CrossRef

Piia, V., & Wang, X. (2011). Superdiversity on the Internet: A case from China. Diversities, 13(2), 70–83.

Rathnayake, C., & Winter, J. S. (2017). Examining the link between social media uses and gratifications, and political tolerance and dogmatism: Political tolerance, dogmatism, and social media. Policy and Internet, 9(4), 444–466. https://doi.org/10.1002/poi3.157CrossRef

Raza, S. A., Qazi, W., Shah, N., Qureshi, M. A., Qaiser, S., & Ali, R. (2020). Drivers of intensive Facebook usage among university students: An implications of U&G and TPB theories. Technology in Society, 62, 101331. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.techsoc.2020.101331CrossRef

Rubin, A. M. (1984). Ritualized and instrumental television viewing. Journal of Communication. https://psycnet.apa.org/record/1985-13929-001

Rubin, A. M. (2009). Uses-and-gratifications perspective on media effect. In J. Bryant & M. B. Oliver (Eds.), Media Effects: Advances in Theory and Research (3 ed., pp. 165–184). Routledge.

Scott, C. F., Bay-Cheng, L. Y., Prince, M. A., Nochajski, T. H., & Collins, R. L. (2017). Time spent online: Latent profile analyses of emerging adults’ social media use. Computers in Human Behavior, 75, 311–319. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chb.2017.05.026CrossRefPubMedPubMedCentral

Severin, W., & Tankard, J. (1997). Communication theories: Origins, methods, and uses in the mass media. Longman.

Shao, L. (2018). The delimma of criticism: Disentangling the determinants of media censorship in China. Journal of East Asian Studies, 18(3), 279–297. https://doi.org/10.1017/jea.2018.19CrossRef

Stafford, T. F., Stafford, M. R., & Schkade, L. L. (2004). Determining uses and gratifications for the Internet. Decision Sciences, 35(2), 259–288. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.00117315.2004.02524.xCrossRef

Tai, Z. (2015). Networked resistance: Digital populism, online activism, and mass dissent in China. Popular Communication, 13(2), 120–131. https://doi.org/10.1080/15405702.2015.1021469CrossRef

Tu, J.-W., & Lee, T.-T. (2014). The effects of media usage and interpersonal contacts on the stereotyping of lesbians and gay men in China. Journal of Homosexuality, 61(7), 980–1002. https://doi.org/10.1080/00918369.2014.871904CrossRefPubMed

Tzavela, E. C., Karakitsou, C., Halapi, E., & Tsitsika, A. K. (2017). Adolescent digital profiles: A process-based typology of highly engaged internet users. Computers in Human Behavior, 69, 246–255. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chb.2016.11.032CrossRef

UNDP. (2016). Being LGBTI in China—A national survey on social attitudes towards sexual orientation, gender identity and gender expression.

Van Boekel, L. C., Peek, S. T. M., & Luijkx, K. G. (2017). Diversity in older adults’ use of the internet: Identifying subgroups through latent class analysis. Journal of Medical Internet Research, 19(5), 1–11. https://doi.org/10.2196/jmir.6853CrossRef

Wang, G., & Ma, X. (2021). Representations of LGBTQ+ issues in China in its official English-language media: A corpus-assisted critical discourse study. Critical Discourse Studies, 18(2), 188–206. https://doi.org/10.1080/17405904.2020.1738251CrossRef

Wang, J., & Wang, X. (2020). Structural equation modeling : Applications using Mplus (2nd ed.). John Wiley & Sons.

Wang, Y., Hu, Z., Peng, K., Rechdan, J., Yang, Y., Wu, L., Xin, Y., Lin, J., Duan, Z., Zhu, X., Feng, Y., Chen, S., Ou, J., & Chen, R. (2020). Mapping out a spectrum of the Chinese public’s discrimination toward the LGBT community: Results from a national survey. BMC Public Health, 20(1), 669–669. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-020-08834-yCrossRefPubMedPubMedCentral

Wang, Y., Hu, Z., Peng, K., Xin, Y., Yang, Y., Drescher, J., & Chen, R. (2019). Discrimination against LGBT populations in China. The Lancet Public Health, 4(9), e440-e441. https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lanpub/article/PIIS2468-2667(19)30153-7/fulltext

Wong, D. (2015). Sexual minorities in China. In J. D. Wright (Ed.), International encyclopedia of the social & behavioral sciences (2 ed., pp. 734–739). Elsevier.

Wu, Y., Mou, Y., Wang, Y., & Atkin, D. (2018). Exploring the de-stigmatizing effect of social media on homosexuality in China: An interpersonal-mediated contact versus parasocial-mediated contact perspective. Asian Journal of Communication, 28(1), 20–37. https://doi.org/10.1080/01292986.2017.1324500CrossRef

Xie, Y., & Peng, M. (2017). Attitudes toward homosexuality in China: Exploring the effects of religion, modernizing factors, and traditional culture. Journal of Homosexuality, 65(13), 1758–1787. https://doi.org/10.1080/00918369.2017.1386025CrossRefPubMed

Yang, Y. (2019). Bargaining with the state: The empowerment of Chinese sexual minorities/LGBT in the social media era. The Journal of Contemporary China, 28(118), 662–677. https://doi.org/10.1080/10670564.2018.1557943CrossRef

Yu, Y., Xiao, S., & Xiang, Y. (2011). Application and testing the reliability and validity of a modified version of Herek’s Attitudes Towards Lesbians and Gay Men Scale in China. Journal of Homosexuality, 58(2), 263–274.CrossRefPubMedPubMedCentral

Zhang, J., Yan, Q., Guo, W., Gong, X., Cheng, M., & Yu, N. (2020). Rainbow over the Internet: How Internet use curtails homophobia in China. Technology in Society, 62, 1–8. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.techsoc.2020.101300CrossRef

Zhou, M., & Hu, T. (2020). Social tolerance of homosexuality: A quantitative comparison of Mainland China, Singapore, and Taiwan. Chinese Sociological Review, 52(1), 27–55. https://doi.org/10.1080/21620555.2019.1654368CrossRef

Zhou, R., Fong, P. S. W., & Tan, P. (2014). Internet use and its impact on engagement in leisure activities in china. PLoS One, 9(2), e89598–e89598. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0089598CrossRefPubMedPubMedCentral

Titel: “Pattern Matters”: a Latent Class Analysis of Internet Use and Users’ Attitudes Toward Homosexuality in China
verfasst von: Zurong Liang
Yu-Te Huang
Yu-Chih Chen
Lik Sam Chan
Publikationsdatum: 03.02.2022
Verlag: Springer US
Erschienen in: Sexuality Research and Social Policy / Ausgabe 4/2022
Print ISSN: 1868-9884
Elektronische ISSN: 1553-6610
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s13178-021-00680-w

Springer Professional

Abstract

Introduction

Methods

Results

Conclusions

Bitte loggen Sie sich ein, um Zugang zu Ihrer Lizenz zu erhalten.

Sie haben noch keine Lizenz? Dann Informieren Sie sich jetzt über unsere Produkte:

Springer Professional "Wirtschaft+Technik"

Springer Professional "Wirtschaft"

Weitere Artikel der Ausgabe 4/2022

Beliefs About the Need to Control One’s Thoughts and Cognitive Self-consciousness Are Associated with Sexual Stigma

Social and Cultural Correlates of Identity Management Strategies Among Lesbian and Gay People: The Role of Intergroup Structure and Self-Construal

Religiosity and Homophobia: Examining the Impact of Perceived Importance of Childbearing, Hostile Sexism and Gender

“I Don’t Even Want to Come Out”: the Suppressed Voices of Our Future and Opening the Lid on Sexual and Gender Minority Youth Workplace Discrimination in Europe: a Qualitative Study

Experiences, Motivations, and Impacts of Sexual Orientation Change Efforts: Effects on Sexual Identity Distress and Mental Health Among Sexual Minorities

Sexual Minority Stigma and Nonsuicidal Self-Injury Among Sexual Minorities: the Mediating Roles of Sexual Orientation Concealment, Self-Criticism, and Depression