CULTURAL MYTHS AND SUPPORTS FOR RAPE

• NCJ Number: 66210
• Journal: Personality and Social Psychology Volume: 38 Issue: 2 Dated: (FEBRUARY 1980) Pages: 217-230
• Author(s): M R BURT
• Date Published: 1980
• Length: 14 pages
• Grant Number(s): R01 MH29023
• Sponsoring Agency: US Dept of Health, Education, and Welfare
• Corporate Author: American Psychological Assoc
• Publication Format: Article
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America
• Note: PRELIMINARY VERSION OF THIS ARTICLE WAS PRESENTED AT THE ANNUAL MEETING OF THE AMERICAN PSYCHOLOGICAL ASSOCIATION, TORONTO, CANADA, 1978

Annotation

THIS ARTICLE DESCRIBES THE RAPE MYTH AND TESTS SOME OF THE TENETS OF THE FEMINIST ANALYSIS OF RAPE.

Abstract

THE TENETS (HYPOTHESES) TESTED ARE DERIVED FROM THE SOCIAL PSYCHOLOGICAL AND FEMINIST THEORY THAT ACCEPTANCE OF RAPE MYTHS CAN BE PREDICTED FROM ATTITUDES SUCH AS SEX ROLE STEREOTYPING, ADVERSARIAL SEXUAL BELIEFS, SEXUAL CONSERVATISM, AND ACCEPTANCE OF INTERPERSONAL VIOLENCE. PERSONALITY CHARACTERISTICS, BACKGROUND CHARACTERISTICS, AND PERSONAL EXPOSURE TO RAPE, RAPE VICTIMS, AND RAPISTS ARE OTHER FACTORS THAT WERE USED IN PREDICTIONS. SUBJECTS INTERVIEWED WERE 598 MINNESOTA ADULTS AGED 18 YEARS AND OVER. RESULTS FROM THE REGRESSION ANALYSIS OF INTERVIEW DATA INDICATED THAT THE HIGHER THE SEX ROLE STEREOTYPING, ADVERSARIAL SEXUAL BELIEFS, AND ACCEPTANCE OF INTERPERSONAL VIOLENCE, THE GREATER A RESPONDENT'S ACCEPTANCE OF RAPE MYTHS. IN ADDITION, YOUNGER AND BETTER EDUCATED PEOPLE REVEALED LESS STEREOTYPIC, ADVERSARIAL, AND PROVIOLENCE ATTITUDES AND LESS RAPE MYTH ACCEPTANCE. THE RESULTS HAD TWO MAJOR IMPLICATIONS. FIRST, MANY AMERICANS DO BELIEVE MANY RAPE MYTHS. SECOND, THEIR RAPE ATTITUDES ARE STRONGLY CONNECTED TO OTHER DEEPLY HELD AND PERVASIVE ATTITUDES. THE DATA ALSO IMPLY THAN OVERCOMING ADHERENCE TO RAPE MYTHS WILL NOT BE EASILY ACCOMPLISHED, SINCE THEY ARE SO CLOSELY INTERCONNECTED WITH OTHER STRONGLY HELD ATTITUDES. A FRUITFUL LONG-RANGE STRATEGY COULD BEGIN BY FIGHTING SEX ROLE STEREOTYPING AT VERY YOUNG AGES. A FINAL IMPORTANT IMPLICATION WAS THAT ACCEPTANCE OF INTERPERSONAL VIOLENCE WAS THE STRONGEST PREDICTOR OF RAPE MYTH ACCEPTANCE. THE STUDY CONSTITUTES A FIRST EFFORT TO PROVIDE AN EMPIRICAL FOUNDATION FOR A COMBINATION OF SOCIAL PSYCHOLOGICAL AND FEMINIST THEORETICAL ANALYSIS OF RAPE ATTITUDES AND THEIR ANTECEDENTS. TABLES, NOTES, REFERENCE NOTES, AND REFERENCES ARE GIVEN.(AUTHOR ABSTRACT MODIFIED)