Premium
Reaction to Self‐Attributed Victim Responsibility: A Comparative Analysis of Rape Crisis Counselors and Lay Observers 1
Author(s) -
Thornton Bill,
Ryckman Richard M.,
Kirchner Gayle,
Jacobs Jacqueline,
Kaczor Linda,
Kuehnel Robert H.
Publication year - 1988
Publication title -
journal of applied social psychology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.822
H-Index - 111
eISSN - 1559-1816
pISSN - 0021-9029
DOI - 10.1111/j.1559-1816.1988.tb00025.x
Subject(s) - attribution , psychology , social psychology , coping (psychology) , perception , moral responsibility , clinical psychology , law , political science , neuroscience
This research examined observers' reactions to sexual assault victims engaging in different forms of self‐attributed responsibility. Theory and research suggests that behavioral responsibility contributes positively to the coping process of victims, whereas characterological responsibility impedes it. For observers in the present study, the expression of either type of self‐responsibility by a rape victim resulted in a more negative impression of the victim's emotional well‐being and greater attribution of responsibility to the victim in comparison to a victim relying solely on chance explanations. Moreover, this bias was evident among rape crisis counselors as well as lay observers. Discussion considered the implications of such biased perceptions for sexual assault victims and the need for a fuller understanding of the nature of self‐attributions of responsibility by victims.