Love is heterosexual-by-default: Cultural heterosexism in default prototypes of romantic love

Abstract

Cultural heterosexist ideologies assume heterosexuality to be the default norm. Four studies investigated when concepts of romantic love are heterosexual-by-default (N = 685). In Studies 1–2, participants generated features of romantic love, in general (i.e., the default prototype) or among one of three sexual orientation-specific couples (lesbian, gay, or heterosexual). Heterosexual-identified participants’ default prototypes were more similar to heterosexual than same-gender prototypes (Study 1). Lesbian- and gay-identified participants’ default prototypes were more similar to both heterosexual and gay male than lesbian prototypes, whereas bisexual-identified participants’ sexual orientation-specific prototypes were equivalently similar to the default (Study 2). However, heterosexual-identified participants rated presented features of love similarly across sexual orientation-specific conditions (Study 3). In a timed feature-verification task (Study 4), participants categorized fewer peripheral features of romantic love as relevant to same-gender than mixed-gender couples. Activating sexual orientation-specific representations affected subsequent default concepts of romantic love. We discuss implications for heterosexism theories and intervention.