This study tested the hypothesis that providing information about the prevalent motives of rape (power and anger) will influence observers' attribution of responsibility to a rape victim. Forty male introductory psychology students were randomly assigned to one of four groups: rape motivation information (informed, uninformed), and attractiveness of the target victim (attractive, unattractive). All subjects read a description of an alleged rape and responded to a questionnaire that measured the amount of responsibility attributed to the victim and to the rapist. The analysis of variance suggested that information about rape motivation decreases the amount of responsibility attributed to the victim.
Get full access to this article
View all access options for this article.
References
1.
American Psychiatric Association. (1980). Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders (3rd ed.). Washington, DC: Author.
2.
Becker, J. V. , Skinner, L. J., Abel, G. G., Axelrod, R., & Cichon, J. (1984). Sexual problems of sexual assault survivors.Women and Health, 9(4), 5-20.
3.
Brownmiller, S. (1975). Against our will: Men, women, and rape.New York: Simon & Shuster.
4.
Burgess, A. W. , & Holmstrom, L. L. (1974). Rape trauma syndrome.American Journal of Psychiatry, 131, 981-986.
5.
Burgess, A. W. , & Holmstrom, L. L. (1979). Rape: Sexual disruption and recovery.American Journal of Orthopsychiatry, 49(4), 648-657.
6.
Calhoun, L. G. , Selby, J. W., Cann, A., & Keller, G. T. (1978). The effect of victim physical attrativeness and sex of respondent on social reactions to victims of rape.British Journal of Social and Clinical Psychology, 17, 191-192.
7.
Deitz, S. R. , Littman, M., & Bentley, B. J. (1984). Attribution of responsibility for rape: The influence of observer empathy, victim resistance, and victim attractiveness.Sex Roles, 10(3/4), 261-280.
8.
Ellis, E. M. (1983). A review of empirical rape research: Victim reactions and response to treatment.Clinical Psychology Review, 3, 473-490.
9.
Ellis, E. M. , Atkeson, B. M., & Calhoun, K. S. (1981). An assessment of long-term reaction to rape.Journal of Abnormal Psychology, 90(3), 263-266.
10.
Groth, A. N. (1981). Rape: The sexual expression of aggression. In P. F. Brain & D. Benton (Eds.), Multidisciplinary approaches to aggression research (pp. 465-475). Elsevier: North-Holland Biomedical Press.
11.
Groth, A. N. , Burgess, A. W., & Holmstrom, L. L. (1977). Rape: Power, anger, and sexuality.American Journal of Psychiatry, 134(11), 1239-1243.
12.
Holmes, M. R. , & Lawrence, J. S. (1983). Treatment of rape-induced trauma: Proposed behavioral conceptualization and review of the literature.Clinical Psychology Review, 3, 417-433.
13.
Kanekar, S. , & Kolsawalla, M. B. (1980). Responsibility of a rape victim in relation to her respectability, attractiveness, and provocativeness.Journal of Social Psychology, 112, 153-154.
14.
Lerner, M. J. , & Simons, C. H. (1966). Observer's reaction to the innocent victim: Compassion or rejection?Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 4, 203-210.
15.
Medea, A. , & Thompson, K. (1974). Against rape.New York: Farrar, Strauss, & Giroux.
16.
Morrison, J. K. , & Teta, D. C. (1978). Effect of demythologizing seminars on attributions to mental health professionals.Psychological Reports, 43, 493-494.
17.
Resick, P. A. , Calhoun, K. S., Atkeson, B. M., & Ellis, E. M. (1981). Social adjustment in victims of sexual assault.Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 49(5), 705-712.
18.
Rodkin, L. I. , Hunt, E. J., & Cowan, S. D. (1982). A men's support group for significant others of rape victims.Journal of Marital and Family Therapy, 8(1), 91-97.
19.
Russell, D.E.H. (1974). The politics of rape: The victim's perspective.New York: Stein & Day.
20.
Seligman, C. , Brickman, J., & Koulack, D. (1977). Rape and physical attractiveness: Assigning responsibility to victims.Journal of Personality, 45, 554-563.
21.
Smith, R. E. , Keating, J. P., Hester, R. K., & Mitchell, H. E. (1976). Role and justice consideration in the attribution of responsibility to a rape victim.Journal of Research in Personality, 10, 346-357.
22.
Sutherland, S. , & Scherl, D. J. (1970). Patterns of response among victims of rape.American Journal of Orthopsychiatry, 40, 503-511.
23.
Thornton, B. (1977). Effect of rape victim's attractiveness in a jury simulation.Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 3, 666-669.
24.
Thornton, B. , & Ryckman, R. M. (1983). The influence of a rape victim's physical attractiveness on observer's attributions of responsibility.Human Relations, 36(6), 549-562.
25.
Tieger, T. (1981). Self-rated likelihood of raping and the social perception of rape.Journal of Research in Personality, 15, 147-158.
26.
Whitney, E. N. , & Hamilton, E.M.N. (1977). Understanding nutrition.St. Paul: West.
