Marriage Equality: On the Books and on the Ground? An Experimental Audit Study of Beliefs and Behavior towards Same‐Sex and Interracial Couples in the Wedding Industry
Abstract
In the United States, same‐sex and interracial couples benefit from federal court decisions recognizing and protecting their marital unions. Despite these legal protections, prejudiced beliefs and subtly‐biased behavior toward these groups may still be socially normative. The present studies surveyed Americans’ beliefs about the acceptability of prejudice toward same‐sex, interracial, and white heterosexual couples and then examined actual behavior among wedding venue professionals towards them. In Study 1, Americans felt it more socially normative to express prejudice toward same‐sex couples than toward interracial couples and heterosexual couples; they also forecasted that same‐sex couples would experience more discrimination by wedding industry professionals than interracial couples. Study 2 used experimental audit methods to examine whether the actual behavior of wedding venue professionals aligned with Americans’ social norm beliefs. Results revealed that same‐sex couples and, to a lesser extent, interracial couples experienced more discrimination by wedding industry professionals than did white heterosexual couples.
Kathryn M. Kroeper
PhD Candidate, Social Psychology
The central goal of my research is to identify and address social inequalities between those traditionally privileged and those traditionally disadvantaged in society. To this end, I use multiple methods (experiments, surveys, interviews, and audit studies) to examine social issues from a variety of perspectives (target, perceiver, and organizational). matter.