The Influence of Moral Intuitions on Americans’ Divergent Reactions to Reports of Sexual Assault and Harassment

Drawing on insights from moral psychology, we examine the influence of moral intuitions on Americans’ divergent reactions to reports of sexual assault and harassment. We hypothesize that Americans whose moral intuitions emphasize care and protection of the vulnerable will show a greater willingness to believe reports of sexual assault and harassment, while those whose moral intuitions emphasize social order and cohesion will show greater skepticism toward such reports. Using data from a nationally representative sample of USA adults ( N =1050), we find strong support for both hypotheses. We also find that the influence of moral intuitions on reactions to reports of sexual assault and harassment is partially mediated by respondents’ willingness to attribute responsibility to victims of sex crimes. Our results hold when females and males are examined separately. The study provides compelling evidence that a moral intuitionist approach is useful for understanding Americans’ divergent reactions to reports of sexual assault and harassment.

The Authoritarian Dynamic During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Effects on Nationalism and Anti-Immigrant Sentiment

Social Psychological and Personality Science ◽

10.1177/1948550620978023 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 194855062097802

Author(s):

Todd K. Hartman ◽

Thomas V. A. Stocks ◽

Ryan McKay ◽

Jilly Gibson-Miller ◽

Liat Levita ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Social Order ◽

Situational Factors ◽

Right Wing ◽

Right Wing Authoritarianism ◽

The United Kingdom ◽

The Social ◽

Political Outcomes ◽

Using Data ◽

The Relationship

Research has demonstrated that situational factors such as perceived threats to the social order activate latent authoritarianism. The deadly COVID-19 pandemic presents a rare opportunity to test whether existential threat stemming from an indiscriminate virus moderates the relationship between authoritarianism and political attitudes toward the nation and out-groups. Using data from two large nationally representative samples of adults in the United Kingdom ( N = 2,025) and Republic of Ireland ( N = 1,041) collected during the initial phases of strict lockdown measures in both countries, we find that the associations between right-wing authoritarianism (RWA) and (1) nationalism and (2) anti-immigrant attitudes are conditional on levels of perceived threat. As anxiety about the COVID-19 pandemic increases, so too does the effect of RWA on those political outcomes. Thus, it appears that existential threats to humanity from the COVID-19 pandemic moderate expressions of authoritarianism in society.

Citizen Approval of Monetary- vs Goods-For-Votes Exchanges

Journal of Experimental Political Science ◽

10.1017/xps.2020.4 ◽

2020 ◽

pp. 1-5

Author(s):

Mollie J. Cohen

Keyword(s):

Representative Sample ◽

Survey Experiment ◽

Need For Care ◽

Vote Buying ◽

Question Wording ◽

Abstract Does citizen approval of vote buying depend on the type of benefit being offered? I answer this question using data from a survey experiment conducted on a nationally representative sample of Nicaraguans in 2017. Nicaraguans report significantly lower approval of money-for votes exchanges compared to goods-for-votes exchanges. Furthermore, reported rates of vote buying are lower in the money condition (4.8%) than in the goods-for-votes condition (7.8%), even though the posttreatment question assessing vote buying experience was identical across conditions. This study echoes other work suggesting the need for care in designing questions about vote buying, as slight changes in question wording that prime participants to think about goods versus monetary exchanges can affect both citizen approval of the behavior and the reported prevalence of vote buying.

“A Rape Is a Rape, Regardless of What the Victim Was Doing at the Time”: Detective Views on How “Problematic” Victims Affect Sexual Assault Case Processing

Criminal Justice Review ◽

10.1177/0734016819842639 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 45 (1) ◽

pp. 26-44

Author(s):

Eryn Nicole O’Neal ◽

Brittany E. Hayes

Keyword(s):

Los Angeles ◽

Sexual Assault ◽

Quantitative Methods ◽

Police Department ◽

Sex Crimes ◽

Case Processing ◽

Using Data ◽

Sexual Assault Case ◽

Officer Attitudes ◽

Depth Interviews

Research finds that “problematic” victim behaviors—for example, alcohol consumption—influence sexual assault case outcomes. Questions remain, however, regarding officer perceptions of what constitutes a problematic victim and how these victims complicate case processing. Indeed, most case processing research has relied on quantitative methods and inquiry into officer attitudes has primarily relied on the use of vignettes. Using data from in-depth interviews with 52 Los Angeles Police Department sex crimes detectives, we examine attitudes toward problematic victims. Overall, we aim to determine whether rape culture beliefs and efforts to operate in a “downstream orientation” influence detective views regarding victims who have been deemed problematic.

Cosmetic-Related Injuries Treated in US Emergency Departments: 2002 to 2016

Clinical Pediatrics ◽

10.1177/0009922819850492 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 58 (14) ◽

pp. 1493-1501 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Jordan Vajda ◽

Rebecca J. McAdams ◽

Kristin J. Roberts ◽

Motao Zhu ◽

Lara B. McKenzie

Keyword(s):

Confidence Interval ◽

Retrospective Analysis ◽

Emergency Departments ◽

Surveillance System ◽

Representative Sample ◽

Injury Surveillance System ◽

Common Diagnosis ◽

Hair Care ◽

A retrospective analysis was conducted by using data from the National Electronic Injury Surveillance System for children <5 years who were treated in US emergency departments (EDs) from 2002-2016) for a cosmetic-related injury. An estimated 64 686 (95% confidence interval = 53 037-76 335) children were treated in EDs for cosmetic-related injuries during the 15-year study period. There was no significant change in the rate (slope = 1.1 per 10 000 children per year, P = .95) of injuries over the study period. Injuries were most commonly associated with nail care (28.3%), hair care (27.0%), skin care (25.0%), and fragrance (12.7%) products. Children aged <2 years were most frequently injured (59.3%), and poisoning was the most common diagnosis (86.2%). To our knowledge, this is the first study to use a nationally representative sample to describe the epidemiology of cosmetic-related injuries among children aged <5 years. Unintentional exposure to cosmetics is an important source of injury for young children.

Twin and Sibling Attachment in a Nationally Representative Sample

Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin ◽

10.1177/0146167211432936 ◽

2012 ◽

Vol 38 (3) ◽

pp. 308-316 ◽

Cited By ~ 27

Author(s):

R. Chris Fraley ◽

Caroline M. Tancredy

Keyword(s):

Older People ◽

Representative Sample ◽

Inclusive Fitness ◽

Identical Twins ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Attachment Figure ◽

The objective of this research was to evaluate the hypothesis that twin relationships are attachments, using data from a nationally representative sample. The results indicated that twin siblings were more likely than nontwin siblings to be attached to their siblings. Moreover, analyses indicated that both attachment theoretical and inclusive fitness perspectives are necessary for explaining these findings. Namely, twins were more likely to be attached than nontwin siblings, as expected from an attachment perspective. But identical twins were more likely than fraternal twins to be attached to one another, as might be expected from an inclusive fitness perspective. Cross-sectional analyses indicated that older people are less likely than younger people to use their sibling as an attachment figure compared to younger people and that married adults are less likely to use their sibling as an attachment figure than nonmarried people.

Procedural Justice, Distributive Justice: How Experiences With Downsizing Condition Their Impact On Organizational Commitment

Social Psychology Quarterly ◽

10.1177/019027250506800107 ◽

2005 ◽

Vol 68 (1) ◽

pp. 89-102 ◽

Cited By ~ 38

Author(s):

Jody Clay-Warner ◽

Karen A. Hegtvedt ◽

Paul Roman

Keyword(s):

Organizational Commitment ◽

Distributive Justice ◽

Procedural Justice ◽

Representative Sample ◽

Work Attitudes ◽

Relative Importance ◽

Using Data ◽

Prior Experiences ◽

Relative Salience

Previous research demonstrates that both procedural justice and distributive justice are important predictors of work attitudes. This research, however, fails to examine conditions that affect the relative importance of each type of justice. Here we argue that prior experiences with regard to downsizing shape individuals' workplace schemas, which in turn affect the relative salience of each type of justice for organizational commitment. We test hypotheses using data from a nationally representative sample of workers. Only distributive justice predicts organizational commitment among victims of downsizing, while procedural justice is the stronger predictor among survivors of downsizing and unaffected workers. Comparisons across models indicate that procedural justice is a more important predictor of organizational commitment for survivors and unaffected workers than for victims, while distributive justice is more important for victims than for either survivors or unaffected workers. We conclude by discussing the theoretical implications of our findings.

“Most [False Reports] Involve Teens”: Officer Attitudes Toward Teenage Sexual Assault Complainants—A Qualitative Analysis

Violence Against Women ◽

10.1177/1077801219828537 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 26 (1) ◽

pp. 24-45

Author(s):

Eryn Nicole O’Neal ◽

Brittany E. Hayes

Keyword(s):

Los Angeles ◽

Sexual Assault ◽

Use Of Force ◽

Police Department ◽

Future Research ◽

Sex Crimes ◽

Semistructured Interviews ◽

Using Data ◽

Officer Attitudes ◽

Practical Implications

Scholars, advocates, and victims have repeatedly criticized the police treatment of sexual assault (SA) complainants. Apathetic attitudes and hostile behavior on the part of the police have likely resulted from socialization into a culture that condones the use of force and violence and blames SA victims for their victimization. Using data from in-depth semistructured interviews with 52 Los Angeles Police Department sex crimes detectives, we examine officer attitudes toward teenage complainants of SA. Notably, almost three fourths of the respondents ( n = 38; 73%) mentioned that teenagers lie about SA. Practical implications, theoretical advancements, and directions for future research are discussed.

Prevalence of Physical and Sexual Assault and Mental Health Disorders in Older Women: Findings From a Nationally Representative Sample

American Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry ◽

10.1016/j.jagp.2013.01.016 ◽

2013 ◽

Vol 21 (9) ◽

pp. 877-886 ◽

Cited By ~ 15

Author(s):

Joan M. Cook ◽

Corey Pilver ◽

Stephanie Dinnen ◽

Paula P. Schnurr ◽

Rani Hoff

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Sexual Assault ◽

Older Women ◽

Representative Sample ◽

Mental Health Disorders ◽

Health Disorders ◽

Nationally Representative

An Updated Review of Institutions of Higher Education’s Responses to Sexual Assault: Results From a Nationally Representative Sample

Journal of Interpersonal Violence ◽

10.1177/0886260516658757 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 34 (10) ◽

pp. 1983-2012 ◽

Cited By ~ 32

Author(s):

Tara N. Richards

Keyword(s):

Sexual Assault ◽

Civil Rights ◽

Representative Sample ◽

Task Force ◽

White House ◽

Campus Sexual Assault ◽

Office For Civil Rights ◽

Policies And Procedures ◽

Previous Decade ◽

Nationally Representative

It has been more than a decade since Karjane, Fisher, and Cullen reviewed a nationally representative sample of Institutions of Higher Education (IHEs) and documented “sexual assault on college campuses” and “what colleges are doing about it.” The current research aimed to examine the current state of IHE’s response to campus sexual assault as well as any changes in IHE’s response over the previous decade. To this end, the present study provides a comparison of data reported in Karjane et al. and 2015 data from a statistically equivalent sample ( n = 820). IHE’s utilization of policies and procedures that reflect recent guidance by the Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights (OCR) and best practices indicated by the 2014 White House Task Force to Protect Students From Sexual Assault are also presented and discussed.