The relationship of perceived societal hostility, conformity, and psychological adjustment in homosexual males.

The present study examined the relationship between the perception by homosexual males of positive or negative societal reaction to homosexuality (PSR), their degree of conformity to heterosexual norms, and their degree of psychological adjustment. In this study respondents with high PSR were those who perceived negative societal reaction to homosexuality. Respondents with low PSR were those who perceived positive societal reaction. The study differentiated between the effects of putative societal reaction and actual societal reaction and was based on a three-group sample of homosexual men who (a) were, (b) had been, or (c) had never been heterosexually married. Findings showed that putative societal reaction was a critical variable producing conformity and psychological maladjustment in homosexual males.