Values, secularism, and attitudes toward gay and lesbian civil rights

This study aims to evaluate the effects of four higher-order values (openness to change, self-transcendence, conservation, and self-enhancement; Schwartz's model) on attitudes toward both same-sex marriage and adoption by same-sex couples. Furthermore, the mediation effect of state secularism in the relationship between values and attitudes toward gay and lesbian civil rights was assessed. Participants were Spanish university students who completed a questionnaire. The results showed that state secularism, self-transcendence, and openness to change positively correlated with both attitudes investigated, whereas conservation and self-enhancement negatively correlated with both types of attitude. Moreover, state secularism mediated the relationship between conservation and self-transcendence and attitudes toward both same-sex marriage and adoption by same-sex couples.