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Perceptions of Sexual Assault: The Expression of Gender Differences and the Impact of Target Alcohol Consumption 1
Author(s) -
Klippenstine Marc A.,
Schuller Regina A.,
Wall AnnMarie
Publication year - 2007
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.1559-1816.2007.00273.x
Subject(s) - plaintiff , psychology , consumption (sociology) , alcohol consumption , social psychology , perception , sexual assault , human factors and ergonomics , injury prevention , poison control , clinical psychology , alcohol , medical emergency , law , medicine , political science , social science , biochemistry , chemistry , neuroscience , sociology
This research examined the impact of defendant/complainant alcohol consumption and prior sexual history evidence on mock jurors' evaluations of a sexual assault trial. Participants ( N = 196) were provided with a simulated trial in which the beverage consumption of both targets and the sexual history between them was manipulated. The results displayed a complex interplay between target beverage consumption and gender of participant. Typically observed gender effects—that is, women, compared to men, were more supportive of the complainant and less supportive of the defendant—was contingent upon target beverage consumption. Depending on how aggressive participants perceived the defendant to be, women were more sympathetic to the complainant, with this being contingent upon complainants' and defendants' beverage consumption.