Paul Cameron

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Paul Cameron
Born November 9, 1939 (1939-11-09) (age 68)
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Residence United States
Fields Psychology
Institutions Stout State University
Wayne State University
University of Louisville
Fuller Theological Seminary
University of Nebraska
Family Research Institute
Alma mater Los Angeles Pacific College
California State University
University of Colorado at Boulder
Known for Passive smoking
Homosexuality

Paul Drummond Cameron (born November 9, 1939) is an American psychologist and sex researcher. While employed at various institutions including the University of Nebraska he conducted research on passive smoking and several other topics, but he is best known today for his claims about homosexuality. After a successful 1982 campaign against a gay rights proposal in Lincoln, Nebraska, he established the Institute for the Scientific Investigation of Sexuality, now known as the Family Research Institute (FRI). As FRI's chairman, Cameron has written papers associating homosexuality with perpetration of child sexual abuse and reduced life expectancy.

In 1983, the American Psychological Association decided to drop Cameron from membership for non-cooperation with an ethics investigation, although by his own account and a letter from the President of the APA, he resigned from the organization the previous year. His work has been criticised for alleged misrepresentation of data by the American Sociological Association and Canadian Psychological Association.

Contents

[edit] Biography

[edit] Early life and career

Paul Cameron was born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania (U.S.), on November 9, 1939.[1] His family moved shortly afterwards to Florida.[2] He received a BA from Los Angeles Pacific College in 1961, an MA from California State University in Los Angeles the following year and a PhD from the University of Colorado at Boulder in 1966.[1][3] He held posts as an assistant psychology professor at Stout State University (1966-67) and Wayne State University (1967-68), before becoming an associate professor at the University of Louisville (1970-73) and the Fuller Graduate School of Psychology (part of the Fuller Theological Seminary) (1976-79). In 1979, he became an associate professor of Marriage and Family at the University of Nebraska.[1]

During this period, Cameron conducted research on a variety of topics, including the effects of passive smoking and the relation between pet ownership and happiness. In his 1978 book Sexual Gradualism, he supported a middle ground between liberal and conservative Christian attitudes to sexuality, arguing that teenagers should avoid intercourse while experimenting with lower "levels" of sexual intimacy.[2]

In 1980, Cameron left the University of Nebraska and took up private practice as a psychologist in Lincoln, Nebraska.[1] In 1982, when the Lincoln city council asked residents to vote on a proposal to ban discrimination based on sexual orientation, Cameron led the opposition as chairman of the Committee to Oppose Special Rights for Homosexuals.[4] Despite his earlier moderate position on teenage relationships, Cameron had come to take a hard-line stance on the topic of homosexuality. He has stated that his approach, emphasising the harms he believed to be caused by homosexual behavior and its acceptance, was influenced by his work on the "lethal" behavior of smokers.[2]

During the campaign in Lincoln, Cameron delivered a speech at the University of Nebraska Lutheran chapel. This drew much attention after he stated that a four-year-old boy had suffered a brutal homosexual assault in a local mall. Police were unable to confirm the incident, and Cameron acknowledged that he had only heard the story as a rumor.[2] On May 11, Lincoln voters rejected the proposed measure by a 4–1 margin.[4]

[edit] Family Research Institute

In 1982, Dr. Cameron co-founded the Institute for the Scientific Investigation of Sexuality in Lincoln.[2] Believing that earlier sex surveys, including those conducted by Playboy magazine, had overestimated the prevalence of homosexuality, Cameron set out in 1983 to conduct what he described as "a fair sexuality poll, not one based on volunteers". One newspaper reported his expectation that the results would support his case for a ban on homosexual acts throughout the United States. Funding, according to Cameron, was provided by businessmen including several Nebraska chief executives.[5] In the 1983 ISIS Survey, an "extensive self-administered questionnaire" was offered to 9,129 adults in five U.S. cities, and 4,340 responses were received. In 1984, these were supplemented with data from 824 adults from Dallas.[6]

ISIS was shortly afterwards renamed the Family Research Institute (FRI) and moved to Washington, D.C.. In 1995 FRI changed location again, this time to Colorado Springs, Colorado, where it remains based.[1][2] In his capacity as FRI's chairman, Cameron has authored a number of scientific articles on the topic of homosexuality. Many of these have been based on the 1983–1984 survey, including a 1996 paper which concluded based on participants' answers concerning their teachers that homosexual teachers could influence their students to become homosexual.[6]

Cameron was quoted in Rolling Stone saying that homosexual sex was more pleasurable than most hetereosexual sex, and as a result, if homosexuality were tolerated then it would become predominant within a few generations. [7]

Another of Cameron's conclusions, based partly on his studies of obituaries in gay newspapers, is that homosexuals as a group have a much lower life expectancy than heterosexuals.[8] Based on data collected by 2005, he reported a median age of death of approximately 60 for both gay men and lesbians, compared to about 80 for the general adult population.[9] Cameron states that many victims of child sexual abuse are the same sex as their abusers – one FRI study on sexual abuse by foster parents in Illinois reported that 34% of perpetrators were guilty of same-sex abuse[10] – and concludes that "there is a strong, disproportionate association between child molestation and homosexuality".[11] Many of Cameron's papers have been published in the journal Psychological Reports; unlike many journals, this charges authors a publication fee and does not necessarily reject an article on the basis of a negative peer review.[3]

Despite controversy, Cameron's publications have been cited as support by some groups who oppose same-sex marriage and allowing homosexuals to become foster or adoptive parents, including the Traditional Values Coalition.[3] Paul Cameron testified in the case Baker v. Wade (1985).[12] In 1992, Gale Norton, then the Attorney General of Colorado, employed Cameron as a consultant when defending a law preventing the extension of civil rights legislation to homosexuals. Cameron's testimony went unused, and the law was struck down by the Supreme Court. More recently, Cameron campaigned against a gay-rights initiative in Maine in 2000, testified in favor of the failed Virginia Anti-Gay Adoption Bill in 2005,[3][13] and opposed a 2007 Colorado bill intended to allow cohabiting couples to adopt.[14]

[edit] Family

Paul Cameron is married and has several children.[2] His son Kirk received a doctorate in statistics from Stanford University and has been involved with the Family Research Institute since 1983.[2][15]

[edit] Criticism

For the most part, mainstream scientists have paid very little attention to Cameron's studies, and thus extensive scientific analysis of his claims have not been widely available. However Paul Cameron's research, public statements and legal testimony have received criticism from researchers and organizations over methodologies they view as questionable.

[edit] Criticism from professional organizations

The American Psychological Association (APA) expelled Cameron on December 2, 1983 for allegedly refusing to cooperate with their investigation of a complaint filed by psychologists at the University of Nebraska, which is a violation of the Preamble of the Ethical Principles of Psychologists.[16] FRI has responded that he had already resigned, and did so without protest from the organization,[17] citing letters he sent to the APA resigning his membership as well as the APA president's letter accepting his resignation, which were both sent before his formal expulsion.[18][19] In a letter published in the March 1983 edition of the APA Monitor, Cameron stated that his reasons for leaving included his opinion that the organization was becoming more of a "liberal PAC" than a professional society.[20]

In 1986 the American Sociological Association, following a report from its Committee on the Status of Homosexuals in Sociology,[21] passed a resolution condemning Dr. Cameron for "consistent misrepresentation of sociological research".[22] In 1996, the Board of Directors of the Canadian Psychological Association approved a position statement disassociating the organisation from Cameron's work on sexuality, stating that he had "consistently misinterpreted and misrepresented research on sexuality, homosexuality, and lesbianism".[23]

[edit] Criticism from individuals

After Dr. Cameron submitted affidavits to the U. S. District Court of Dallas in Baker v. Wade (1985), Judge Buchmeyer wrote in his opinion that Cameron had "made misrepresentations to this Court".[12] Buchmeyer's decision was later overturned by the Fifth Circuit sitting en banc.[24] FRI has disputed Judge Buchmeyer's assessment of Dr. Cameron's affidavits.[25]

In response to Cameron's estimation of homosexual life expectancies, calculated from obituaries printed in gay-themed newspapers, critics argue that his sampling technique was flawed and his research produced only meaningless results.[26]

Cameron has also been criticised for placing responsibility for same-sex child sexual abuse on "homosexuals"; opponents state that someone who carries out such abuse need not have a homosexual orientation with respect to other adults. [27][28] Dr. Gregory M. Herek, Ph.D. charges that Cameron misrepresented the literature he had reviewed and cited to support his claims, such as a Groth and Birnbaum (1978) study in which none of the participants actually identified as homosexuals, and none of those who were bisexual claimed to prefer men over women. Furthermore, while Cameron assumed all the same-sex molestations were perpetrated by homosexuals, he did not assume all the opposite-sex molestations were perpetrated by heterosexuals; he included a "bisexual correction" only for opposite-sex molestations that effectively increased the number of perpetrators described as "homosexual" without changing the number described as "heterosexual".[29]

Dr. Herek has published a methodological critique of the Cameron group's studies in which he identifies at least six errors in sampling technique and data analysis. According to Dr. Herek, "an empirical study manifesting even one of these six weaknesses would be considered seriously flawed. In combination, the multiple methodological problems evident in the Cameron group's surveys mean that their results cannot even be considered a valid description of the specific group of individuals who returned the survey questionnaire.".[30]

[edit] Works

  • Paul Cameron (1977). The Life Cycle: Perspectives and Commentary. Oceanside, NY: Dabor Science Publications. ISBN 0895610574. 
  • Paul Cameron (1978). Sexual Gradualism: A Solution to the Sexual Dilemma of Teen-agers and Young Adults. Sun Valley, CA: HumLife Publications. OCLC 5028575. 
  • Paul Cameron (1988). Exposing the AIDS Scandal. Lafayette, LA: Huntington House. ISBN 0910311528. 
  • Paul Cameron (1993). The Gay 90s: What the Empirical Evidence Reveals about Homosexuality. Franklin, Tenn.: Adroit Press. ISBN 1884067018. 

[edit] Notes and references

  1. ^ a b c d e Marquis Who's Who LLC. (2007-02-02). "Cameron, Paul Drummond", The Complete Marquis Who's Who Biographies, LexisNexis edition. 
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h Ward Harkavy. "Slay It With a Smile: Paul Cameron's mission to stop homosexuality is hard to swallow", Westword, October 3, 1996. Retrieved on 2006-02-20. 
  3. ^ a b c d Michael Kranish. "Beliefs drive research agenda of new think tanks", Boston Globe, July 31, 2005. Retrieved on 2006-08-31. 
  4. ^ a b Associated Press. "Lincoln Rejects Gay Rights Measure" (LexisNexis reprint), 1982-05-12. Retrieved on 2007-03-07. 
  5. ^ James Allen Flanery. "Lincoln Man: Poll Will Help Oppose Gays" (GIF reprint), Omaha World-Herald, May 23 1983. Retrieved on 2007-04-12. 
  6. ^ a b Paul Cameron; and Kirk Cameron (November 1996). "Do Homosexual Teachers Pose a Risk to Pupils?". Journal of Psychology 130 (6): 603–613. 
  7. ^ Robert Dreyfuss. "The Holy war On Gays", Rolling Stone, March 18, 1999. 
  8. ^ Cameron, P., Playfair, W. L., & Wellum, S. (1994). The longevity of homosexuals: Before and after the AIDS epidemic. Omega, 29, 249-272.
  9. ^ Family Research Institute (June 7, 2005). "New Study Shows that Homosexuals Live 20 Fewer Years". Press release. Retrieved on 2007-02-20.
  10. ^ Family Research Institute. Homosexual Child Molestations By Foster Parents: Illinois, 1997-2002. Retrieved on 2007-02-25.
  11. ^ Paul Cameron (1993). Child Molestation and Homosexuality, FRI educational pamphlets. Colorado Springs: Family Research Institute. Retrieved on 2007-02-25. 
  12. ^ a b Baker v. Wade, 106 F.R.D. 526 (1985-07-01).. Retrieved on 2007-02-20.
  13. ^ "Antigay adoption bill rejected in Virginia", Advocate.com, February 18, 2005. Retrieved on 2007-02-25. 
  14. ^ April M. Washington. "Amid debate on gays, Senate panel approves adoption bill", Rocky Mountain News, April 3, 2007. Retrieved on 2007-04-15. 
  15. ^ Family Research Institute (2006). FRI Scientists. Retrieved on 2007-11-03.
  16. ^ Max Seigel (1983-12-02). Letter to Paul Cameron. Retrieved on 2007-02-20.
  17. ^ Family Research Institute (November–December 1994). "Revisiting New Republic's Attack on Cameron". Family Research Report. 
  18. ^ Paul Cameron (1982-11-07). Letter to William Bevan. Retrieved on 2007-02-20.
  19. ^ William Bevan (1982-11-29). Letter to Paul Cameron. Retrieved on 2007-02-20.
  20. ^ Paul Cameron (March 1983). "Withdrawing". APA Monitor. 
  21. ^ Committee on the Status of Homosexuals in Sociology (January 1987). "The Cameron Case" (PDF). Footnotes 15 (1): 4, 6. 
  22. ^ American Sociological Association (February 1987). "Official Reports and Proceedings" (PDF). Footnotes 15 (2): 13–16, p. 14. 
  23. ^ Canadian Psychological Association. Policy Statements. Retrieved on 2007-02-20.
  24. ^ Baker v. Wade, 769 F.2d 289 (5th Cir. 1985)..
  25. ^ Family Research Institute (September 2004). "Judge Buchmeyer: A Liar". Family Research Report 19 (5). 
  26. ^ Walter Olson. "William Bennett, Gays, and the Truth: Mr. Virtue dabbles in phony statistics", Slate, MSN, December 19, 1997. Retrieved on 2007-02-20. 
  27. ^ Gregory M. Herek (1991). "Myths About Sexual Orientation: A Lawyer's Guide to Social Science Research". Law and Sexuality 1: 133–172, pp. 153–156. 
  28. ^ Carl Bialik. "Debate Over Gay Foster Parents Shines Light on a Dubious Stat", Wall Street Journal, April 28, 2005. Retrieved on 2007-02-25. 
  29. ^ Gregory M. Herek, Ph.D. (1997-2007). Facts About Homosexuality and Child Molestation. Retrieved on 2007-09-06.
  30. ^ Gregory M. Herek, Ph.D. (1997-2007). Critique of Surveys by the Paul Cameron Group. Retrieved on 2007-09-06.

[edit] External links

Persondata
NAME Cameron, Paul Drummond
ALTERNATIVE NAMES
SHORT DESCRIPTION American psychologist
DATE OF BIRTH November 9, 1939
PLACE OF BIRTH Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
DATE OF DEATH
PLACE OF DEATH
Languages