Professors Brian Harrison and Melissa Michelson speak about the research in their new book Listen, We Need to Talk: How to Change
Attitudes about LGBT Rights (Oxford University Press, 2017).
Listen, We Need to Talk tests Harrison and Michelson's Theory of Dissonant Identity Priming about how to change people's attitudes on controversial topics. They conducted randomized experiments all over the United States, many in partnership with equality organizations. They found that people are often willing to change their attitudes about LGBT rights when they find out that others with whom they share an identity (for example, as sports fans or members of a religious group) are also supporters of those rights - particularly when told about support from a leader of the group, and particularly if they find the information somewhat surprising.