Please use this identifier to cite or link to this item: https://hdl.handle.net/10419/190789 
Year of Publication: 
2018
Series/Report no.: 
DIW Discussion Papers No. 1772
Publisher: 
Deutsches Institut für Wirtschaftsforschung (DIW), Berlin
Abstract: 
Understanding whether laws shape or simply reflect citizens' attitudes is important but empirically difficult. We provide new evidence on this question by studying the relationship between legal same-sex relationship recognition policies (SSRRPs) and attitudes towards sexual minorities in Europe. Using data from the European Social Surveys covering 2002-2016 and exploiting variation in the timing of SSRRPs across countries, we show that legal relationship recognition is associated with a statistically significant increase in favourable attitudes towards sexual minorities. These effects are widespread across demographic groups, emerge only after the policies are adopted, and are not observed for views on other social issues. Our results suggest that laws can exert a powerful influence on societal attitudes.
Subjects: 
Public opinion
Same-sex relationship recognition policies
LGBT attitudes
JEL: 
F5
K36
Document Type: 
Working Paper

Files in This Item:
File
Size
447.69 kB





Items in EconStor are protected by copyright, with all rights reserved, unless otherwise indicated.