The Effect of Need for Closure, Gender Essentialism, and Contact on Transphobia

Using a motivated social cognition framework, this study explores whether there is an indirect effect of need for closure on transphobia via gender essentialism and whether this relationship is moderated by transgender contact. Data were collected from an undergraduate sample of 405 cisgender participants (nmen = 159, nwomen = 246). A simple mediation and a moderated mediation were used to examine the hypothesized relationships, controlling for participant gender. Results reinforced the positive correlation between gender essentialism and transphobia and the negative correlation between transgender contact and transphobia. However, the mediation and moderation hypotheses were not supported. Need for closure was found to be unrelated to transphobia, contrary to past research. The applicability of motivated cognition to transphobia is re-considered and clinical and research implications discussed. Advisors: Michael J. Scheel and Dena Abbott