Dissonance & Conflicts & Gay Catholic Priests

Richard Wagner's dissertation, entitled Gay Catholic Priests: A Study of Cognitive and Affective Dissonance, addresses the topic of possible dissonance resulting from conflicts between priests' self-identification as gay men (with sexually active lifestyles) and the Church's absolute ban on all homosexual relations and its mandatory celibacy requirement for priests. Wagner studied 50 self-identified gays priests in various parts of the United States. He contacted his subjects via referrals from other priests and, for the most part, the nature of their sexuality and their sexual activities were entirely secret. The total number of subjects (after the elimination of some and the withdrawal of others) was 50. The basic requirement was that they be ordained priests, active in a ministry, and self-identify as gay, i.e., that homoerotic self-awareness was part of their self-identification. Wagner employed two instruments, a uniform Sex History Interview which he administered to his subjects, and a 34-question Attitude Inventory Questionnaire which was given to the subjects at the close of the interviews and was returned by mail.

Wagner's stated goal was to determine whether cogniti

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Category: Psychology - D