Putting Context Into a Cultural Perspective: Examining Arab and Jewish Adolescents' Judgments and Reasoning About Spousal Retribution

• NCJ Number: 234812
• Journal: Violence Against Women Volume: 17 Issue: 5 Dated: May 2011 Pages: 584-602
• Author(s): Ronald O. Pitner; Ron Avi Astor; Rami Benbenishty; Muhammad M. Haj-Yahia; Anat Zeira
• Date Published: May 2011
• Length: 19 pages
• Publication Format: Article
• Publication Type: Report (Study/Research)
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

This study examined what factors influence adolescents' judgments and reasoning about spousal violence.

Abstract

In this study, the authors examined what contextual factors influence adolescents' judgments and reasoning about spousal retribution. Adolescents were drawn from Central and Northern Israel and consisted of 2,324 Arab and Jewish students (Grades 7-11). The study was set up in a 2 (Arab/Jewish respondent) 2 (spousal retribution scenarios) factorial design. The author's findings suggest that societal and cultural norms may be more powerful contextual variables than group stereotypes in influencing Arab and Jewish adolescents' evaluations of spousal retribution. Theoretical and practical implications are discussed. (Published Abstract)