Open AccessRape Myth Acceptance Reflects Perceptions of Media Portrayals as Similar to Others, but Not the Self
Author(s) -
Kristen Elmore,
Tracy M. Scull,
Christina V. Malik,
Janis B. Kupersmidt
Publication year - 2020
Publication title -
violence against women
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.807
H-Index - 96
eISSN - 1552-8448
pISSN - 1077-8012
DOI - 10.1177/1077801220908335
Subject(s) - blame , mythology , perception , social psychology , psychology , similarity (geometry) , sexual assault , suicide prevention , human factors and ergonomics , injury prevention , poison control , medicine , medical emergency , philosophy , theology , neuroscience , artificial intelligence , computer science , image (mathematics)
Understanding the antecedents and consequences of rape myths is important for sexual assault prevention programming. We investigated whether general perceptions of media predict rape myth endorsement among community college students, a group with elevated sexual assault risk. Students who perceived greater similarity between people they know and people in media reported higher endorsement of rape myths that blame the victim and exonerate the accused. This relationship did not emerge for perceptions of one's personal similarity to people in media, with the exception of men's endorsement of myths exonerating male perpetrators.