Gaydar
Encyclopedia
Gaydar is a colloquialism
referring to the intuitive ability of a person to assess others' sexual orientation
s as homosexual
, bisexual, or heterosexual
. Gaydar relies almost exclusively on non-verbal clues and LGBT stereotypes
. These include (but are not limited to) the sensitivity to social behaviors and mannerisms; for instance, acknowledging flamboyant mannerisms, overtly rejecting traditional gender role
s, a person's occupation and grooming habits.
The detection of sexual orientation by outward appearance or behavior is frequently challenged by situations with gay men who do not act in a stereotypically "gay" fashion, or with metrosexual
men (regardless of sexuality) who exhibit a lifestyle, spending habits, and concern for personal appearance supposedly close to the stereotype of fashionable urban gay men.
(now at Tufts University
). Ambady's original study, published in 1999, showed that homosexual people were better at correctly identifying sexual orientation from silent videos and photographs than heterosexual people were. Adams' research, started in 2004, focused exclusively on the face; the focal point of most social interaction. This finding was elaborated by Ron Smyth and colleagues in 2003. A 2007 study under Ambady found that people could identify gay men better than random chance when shown a photo of only the eye. Accuracy was closer to what participants thought their accuracy would be when hairstyle was included. A 2009 study found that determination of female sexual orientation by similar means was more accurate when a "snap" judgment was made, rather than conscious deliberation.
One of the first experiments, according to Malcolm Gladwell
, in which an observer could detect homosexuality just by looking at the faces of men, involved Silvan Tomkins
.
Researchers at Leiden University
and Leiden Institute of Brain and Cognition, led by Lorenza Colzato
, provide indications on the existence of a gaydar mechanism.
By comparing male and female homosexuals and heterosexuals with a series of visual stimuli, homosexuals have shown a significant preference for detail with respect to heterosexuals, indicating that being homosexual is associated with a more analytic perceptual style.
Adopting such a perceptual style increases the likelihood to detect perceptual cues indicative of homosexual orientation, which again facilitates finding like-minded, social peers, and potential friends and sex mates. Homosexuals are apparently better trained in making use of the subtle, but distinctive features that they tend to share, including body-movement, gesturing style, and speech patterns. Their attentional control is faster and more efficiently tuned to pick up visual cues correlated with sexual orientation.
Colloquialism
A colloquialism is a word or phrase that is common in everyday, unconstrained conversation rather than in formal speech, academic writing, or paralinguistics. Dictionaries often display colloquial words and phrases with the abbreviation colloq. as an identifier...
referring to the intuitive ability of a person to assess others' sexual orientation
Sexual orientation
Sexual orientation describes a pattern of emotional, romantic, or sexual attractions to the opposite sex, the same sex, both, or neither, and the genders that accompany them. By the convention of organized researchers, these attractions are subsumed under heterosexuality, homosexuality,...
s as homosexual
Homosexuality
Homosexuality is romantic or sexual attraction or behavior between members of the same sex or gender. As a sexual orientation, homosexuality refers to "an enduring pattern of or disposition to experience sexual, affectional, or romantic attractions" primarily or exclusively to people of the same...
, bisexual, or heterosexual
Heterosexuality
Heterosexuality is romantic or sexual attraction or behavior between members of the opposite sex or gender. As a sexual orientation, heterosexuality refers to "an enduring pattern of or disposition to experience sexual, affectional, physical or romantic attractions to persons of the opposite sex";...
. Gaydar relies almost exclusively on non-verbal clues and LGBT stereotypes
LGBT stereotypes
Stereotypes about lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people are conventional, formulaic generalizations, opinions, or images about persons based on their sexual orientation or gender identity. Stereotypes and homophobia are a learned outlook, i.e...
. These include (but are not limited to) the sensitivity to social behaviors and mannerisms; for instance, acknowledging flamboyant mannerisms, overtly rejecting traditional gender role
Gender role
Gender roles refer to the set of social and behavioral norms that are considered to be socially appropriate for individuals of a specific sex in the context of a specific culture, which differ widely between cultures and over time...
s, a person's occupation and grooming habits.
The detection of sexual orientation by outward appearance or behavior is frequently challenged by situations with gay men who do not act in a stereotypically "gay" fashion, or with metrosexual
Metrosexual
Metrosexual is a neologism derived from metropolitan and heterosexual coined in 1994 describing a man who spends a lot of time and money on shopping for his appearance...
men (regardless of sexuality) who exhibit a lifestyle, spending habits, and concern for personal appearance supposedly close to the stereotype of fashionable urban gay men.
Scientific research
William Lee Adams replicated earlier work by his advisor, Nalini AmbadyNalini Ambady
Nalini Ambady is a social psychologist. She is currently Professor and Neubauer Faculty Fellow at Tufts University in the Department of Psychology. She earned her Ph.D. in social psychology from Harvard University in 1991 under the guidance or Robert Rosenthal, with whom she researched thin slice...
(now at Tufts University
Tufts University
Tufts University is a private research university located in Medford/Somerville, near Boston, Massachusetts. It is organized into ten schools, including two undergraduate programs and eight graduate divisions, on four campuses in Massachusetts and on the eastern border of France...
). Ambady's original study, published in 1999, showed that homosexual people were better at correctly identifying sexual orientation from silent videos and photographs than heterosexual people were. Adams' research, started in 2004, focused exclusively on the face; the focal point of most social interaction. This finding was elaborated by Ron Smyth and colleagues in 2003. A 2007 study under Ambady found that people could identify gay men better than random chance when shown a photo of only the eye. Accuracy was closer to what participants thought their accuracy would be when hairstyle was included. A 2009 study found that determination of female sexual orientation by similar means was more accurate when a "snap" judgment was made, rather than conscious deliberation.
One of the first experiments, according to Malcolm Gladwell
Malcolm Gladwell
Malcolm Gladwell, CM is a Canadian journalist, bestselling author, and speaker. He is currently based in New York City and has been a staff writer for The New Yorker since 1996...
, in which an observer could detect homosexuality just by looking at the faces of men, involved Silvan Tomkins
Silvan Tomkins
Silvan Solomon Tomkins is best known as a psychologist and personality theorist and as the developer of Affect theory and Script theory...
.
Researchers at Leiden University
Leiden University
Leiden University , located in the city of Leiden, is the oldest university in the Netherlands. The university was founded in 1575 by William, Prince of Orange, leader of the Dutch Revolt in the Eighty Years' War. The royal Dutch House of Orange-Nassau and Leiden University still have a close...
and Leiden Institute of Brain and Cognition, led by Lorenza Colzato
Lorenza Colzato
Lorenza S. Colzato was born 20 September 1974 in Bolzano, Italy. She is an Italian cognitive psychologist specializing in the study of the neurotransmitter Dopamine and the role it plays in the executive function on human behavior.- Life :...
, provide indications on the existence of a gaydar mechanism.
By comparing male and female homosexuals and heterosexuals with a series of visual stimuli, homosexuals have shown a significant preference for detail with respect to heterosexuals, indicating that being homosexual is associated with a more analytic perceptual style.
Adopting such a perceptual style increases the likelihood to detect perceptual cues indicative of homosexual orientation, which again facilitates finding like-minded, social peers, and potential friends and sex mates. Homosexuals are apparently better trained in making use of the subtle, but distinctive features that they tend to share, including body-movement, gesturing style, and speech patterns. Their attentional control is faster and more efficiently tuned to pick up visual cues correlated with sexual orientation.
See also
- BiometricsBiometricsBiometrics As Jain & Ross point out, "the term biometric authentication is perhaps more appropriate than biometrics since the latter has been historically used in the field of statistics to refer to the analysis of biological data [36]" . consists of methods...
- Biology and sexual orientationBiology and sexual orientationBiology and sexual orientation is the subject of research into the role of biology in the development of human sexual orientation. No simple, single cause for sexual orientation has been conclusively demonstrated, but research suggests that it is by a combination of genetic, hormonal, and...
(physical differences) - Cold readingCold readingCold reading is a series of techniques used by mentalists, psychics, fortune-tellers, illusionists, and con artists to determine or express details about another person, often in order to convince them that the reader knows much more about a subject than they actually do...
- Electropsychometer
- Fruit machine (homosexuality test)
- Gay lispGay lispGay lisp is a stereotypical speech attribute associated with gay males in English-speaking countries. The phenomenon of "gay lisp" and its study are poorly understood similar to other secondary external attributes or verbal and non-verbal mannerisms of both gay and straight people...
- Gaydar (website)Gaydar (website)Gaydar is a worldwide, profile-based dating website for gay and bisexual men, women and couples over the age of 18. Although many of the individual profiles are publicly accessible on the Internet, to gain more functionality and interact with other users, a registration is required and a guest...
- Gaydar (film)Gaydar (film)Gaydar is a 2002 short comedy film written and produced by Terry Ray and Larry Lafond.Starring Terry Ray as Randy who has a crush on a fellow office worker, Jack, played by Bryan Dattilo from Days of our Lives. Randy’s friend from the next booth over, Frankalina, played by Jennifer Echols, also has...
- Gaydar RadioGaydar RadioGaydarRadio is a British digital radio station for gay men, lesbians and gay friendly people. It is available on DAB multiplexes in London and Brighton and also online. It broadcasts 24 hours a day, with live programming from 5am to midnight during the week, 7am to midnight at weekends.-Format:The...
- HomosexualityHomosexualityHomosexuality is romantic or sexual attraction or behavior between members of the same sex or gender. As a sexual orientation, homosexuality refers to "an enduring pattern of or disposition to experience sexual, affectional, or romantic attractions" primarily or exclusively to people of the same...
- LGBT stereotypesLGBT stereotypesStereotypes about lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people are conventional, formulaic generalizations, opinions, or images about persons based on their sexual orientation or gender identity. Stereotypes and homophobia are a learned outlook, i.e...
- PolygraphPolygraphA polygraph measures and records several physiological indices such as blood pressure, pulse, respiration, and skin conductivity while the subject is asked and answers a series of questions...
- MetrosexualMetrosexualMetrosexual is a neologism derived from metropolitan and heterosexual coined in 1994 describing a man who spends a lot of time and money on shopping for his appearance...
- Straight-acting
Further reading
- Gaydar by Donald F. Reuter (ISBN 978-0-609-61102-9)
- Public Radio Program on gaydar
- Psychology Today: Queer Eyes: Blips on the Gaydar
- The Science of Gaydar: The new research on everything from voice pitch to hair whorl