Journal article
Does Policy Adoption Change Opinions on Minority Rights? The Effects of Legalizing Same-Sex Marriage
Political Research Quarterly, Vol.67(4), pp.795-808
12/2014
DOI: 10.1177/1065912914540483
Abstract
The Iowa Supreme Court adopted an unpopular but unanimous ruling in Varnum v. Brien, which established same-sex marriage. Using a unique panel study conducted immediately before and after the court decision, we evaluate the impact of policy adoption on changing opinions on minority rights. The signaling of new social norms pressured some respondents to modify their expressed attitudes. We find that respondents whose demographic characteristics would predict support for marriage equality, but previously did not, were more likely to shift their opinions to be consistent with the new state law. A policy feedback mechanism may be responsible for the rapid diffusion of laws legalizing same-sex in the states.
Details
- Title: Subtitle
- Does Policy Adoption Change Opinions on Minority Rights? The Effects of Legalizing Same-Sex Marriage
- Creators
- Rebecca J KreitzerAllison J HamiltonCaroline J Tolbert
- Resource Type
- Journal article
- Publication Details
- Political Research Quarterly, Vol.67(4), pp.795-808
- Publisher
- SAGE Publications; Los Angeles, CA
- DOI
- 10.1177/1065912914540483
- ISSN
- 1065-9129
- eISSN
- 1938-274X
- Language
- English
- Date published
- 12/2014
- Academic Unit
- Political Science; Public Policy Center (Archive); Center for Social Science Innovation
- Record Identifier
- 9983988973902771
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