Skip to main content

Advertisement

SpringerLink
Log in

“One Doesn’t Slap a Girl but…” Social Representations and Conditional Logics in Legitimization of Intimate Partner Violence

  • Original Article
  • Published:
Sex Roles Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

The present research, which fits into the conceptual framework of social representations, aims to analyze the impact of gender and legitimizing ideologies on the evaluation of intimate partner violence (IPV). Using an inductive mixed methods approach, two studies were conducted in a French context. In Study 1, 24 participants were asked to express their views about a vignette describing an IPV case during semi-structured interviews. In Study 2, 123 participants completed a questionnaire which was based on the results of Study 1. They were asked to evaluate the severity and justification for this same IPV case in relation to several situations identified in interviews. They also completed two scales measuring adherence to ideologies legitimizing male dominance: the Ambivalent Sexism Inventory and the Domestic Violence Myth Acceptance Scale. Results show expressed ambivalence by participants between condemnation of IPV and the use of conditional logics in order to minimize or justify it. The expression of this reasoning was determined by social regulations such as the situations in which the violence occurred and adherence to legitimizing ideologies. Our results are relevant for campaigns raising awareness and educational programs that take into account social representations underlying IPV legitimization.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Abrams, D., Viki, G. T., Masser, B., & Bohner, G. (2003). Perceptions of stranger and acquaintance rape: Role of benevolent and hostile sexism in victim blame and rape proclivity. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 84(1), 111–125. doi:10.1037/0022-3514.84.1.111.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Abric, J.-C. (1987). Coopération, compétition et représentations sociales [Cooperation, competition and social representations]. Cousset: DelVal.

    Google Scholar 

  • Abric, J.-C. (2001). A structural approach to social representations. In K. Deaux & G. Philogène (Eds.), Representations of the social (pp. 42–47). Oxford: Blackwell Publishers.

    Google Scholar 

  • Amsterdam, A. G., & Bruner, J. (2000). Minding the law. Cambridge: Harvard University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Anderson, B. A., Silver, B. D., & Abramson, P. R. (1988). The effects of the race of the interviewer on race-related attitudes of Black respondents in SRC/CPS National Election Studies. Public Opinion Quarterly, 52, 289–324. doi:10.1086/269108.

  • Archer, J., & Graham-Kevan, N. (2003). Do beliefs about aggression predict physical aggression of partner? Aggressive Behavior, 29, 41–54. doi:10.1002/ab.10029.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Baldry, A. C., & Pagliaro, S. (2014). Helping victims of intimate partner violence: The influence of group norms among lay people and the police. Psychology of Violence, 4(3), 334–347. doi:10.1037/t05289-000.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bauer, A. & Soullez, C. (2012). La criminalité en France. Rapport 2012 de l’Observatoire National de la Délinquance et des Réponses Pénales [Criminality in France. 2012 Report of the National Observatory of Delinquency and Penal Responses]. Retrieved from http://www.inhesj.fr/sites/default/files/files/Synthese_Rapport_ONDRP_2012.pdf.

  • Bourdieu, P. (1980). The production of belief: Contribution to an economy of symbolic goods. Media, Culture and Society, 2, 261–293.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bourdieu, P. (1991). Language and symbolic power. Cambridge: Polity Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bourdieu, P. (2001). Masculine domination. Stanford: Stanford University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Burt, M. R. (1980). Cultural myths and supports for rape. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 38, 217–230. doi:10.1037/0022-3514.38.2.217.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Campbell, B. (1981). Race-of-interviewer effects among southern adolescents. Public Opinion Quarterly, 45, 231–234. doi:10.1086/268654.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Capezza, N. M., & Arriaga, X. B. (2008a). Why do people blame victims of abuse? The role of stereotypes of women on perceptions of blame. Sex Roles, 59(11–12), 839–850. doi:10.1007/s11199-008-9488-1.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Capezza, N. M., & Arriaga, X. B. (2008b). Factors associated with acceptance of psychological aggression against women. Violence Against Women, 14, 612–633. doi:10.1177/1077801208319004.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Carlson, B. E., & Worden, A. P. (2005). Attitudes and beliefs about domestic violence: Results of a public opinion survey: I. Definitions of domestic violence, criminal domestic violence, and prevalence. Journal of Interpersonal Violence, 20(10), 1197–1218. doi:10.1177/0886260505278530.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Check, J. V., & Malamuth, N. (1985). An empirical assessment of some feminist hypotheses about rape. International Journal of Women’s Studies, 8(4), 414–423.

    Google Scholar 

  • Danermark, B., Englund, U., Germundsson, P., & Ratinaud, P. (2013). French and Swedish teachers’ social representations of social workers. European Journal of Social Work, 17(4), 491–507. doi:10.1080/13691457.2013.829803.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Dardenne, B., Delacollette, N., Grégoire, C., & Lecocq, D. (2006). Structure latente et validation de la version française de l’Ambivalent sexism inventory: L’échelle de sexisme ambivalent [latent structure of the French validation of the ambivalent sexism inventory: Échelle de Sexisme ambivalent]. L’année Psychologique, 106(2), 235–264. doi:10.4074/S0003503306002041.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Demazière, D., & Dubar, C. (1997). Analyser les entretiens biographiques [analyze biographical interviews]. Paris: Nathan.

    Google Scholar 

  • Dennison, S. M., & Thompson, C. M. (2011). Intimate partner violence: The effect of gender and contextual factors on community perceptions of harm, and suggested victim and criminal justice responses. Violence and Victims, 26(3), 347–363. doi:10.1891/0886-6708.26.3.347.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Denzin, N. (1978). The research act. Chicago: Aldine.

    Google Scholar 

  • Doise, W. (1986). Levels of explanation in social psychology. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Doise, W. (1990). Les représentations sociales [Social representations] In R. Ghiglione, C. Bonnet, & J. F. Richard (Eds.), Traité de psychologie cognitive, Tome 3: Cognition, représentation, communication. Paris: Dunod.

  • Doise, W. (1992). L’ancrage dans l’étude sur les représentations sociales [the anchoring in the study on social representations]. Bulletin de Psychologie, 405, 189–195.

    Google Scholar 

  • Doise, W. (2011). The homecoming of society in social psychology. In J. P. Valentim (Ed.), Societal approaches in social psychology (pp. 9–34). Bern: Peter Lang.

    Google Scholar 

  • Dziegielewski, S., Campbell, K., & Turnage, B. (2005). Domestic violence: Focus groups from the survivors’ perspective. Journal of Human Behavior in the Social Environment, 11(2), 9–23. doi:10.1300/J137v11n02_02.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Esqueda, C. W., & Harrison, L. A. (2005). The influence of gender role stereotypes, the woman’s race, and level of provocation and resistance on domestic violence culpability attributions. Sex Roles, 53(11–12), 821–834. doi:10.1007/11199s-005-8295-1.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Expósito, F., Moya, M., & Valor-Segura, I. (2004). Variables situaciones que influyen en la percepción de situaciones de violencia domestica [Variable situations that influence the perception of situations of domestic violence]. Madrid: 5 Congreso de la Sociedad Española de Psicología Experimental (SEPEX).

  • Flament, C. (1984). From the bias of structural balance to the representation of the group. In R. Farr & S. Moscovici (Eds.), Social representations (pp. 269–285). Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Flament, C. (1994). Aspects périphériques des représentations sociales [Peripheral aspects of social representations]. In C. Guimelli (Ed.), Structures et transformations des représentations sociales (pp. 85–118). Lausanne: Delachaux et Niestlé.

    Google Scholar 

  • Flick, U. (2014). Thematic coding and content analysis. In U. Flick (Ed.), An introduction to qualitative research (pp. 420–438). London: Sage.

    Google Scholar 

  • Flood, M., & Pease, B. (2009). Factors influencing attitudes to violence against women. Trauma, Violence, & Abuse, 10(2), 125–142. doi:10.1177/1524838009334131.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Fonte, D., Colson, S., Côté, J., Reynaud, R., Lagouanelle-Simeoni, M. C., & Apostolidis, T. (2017). Representations and experiences of well-being among diabetic adolescents: Relational, normative, and identity tensions in diabetes self-management. Journal of Health Psychology. Advance online publication. doi: 10.1177/1359105317712575.

  • Forbers, G. B., Jobe, R. L., White, K. B., Bloesch, E., & Adams-Curtis, L. E. (2005). Perceptions of dating violence following a sexual or nonsexual betrayal of trust: Effects of gender, sexism, acceptance of rape myths, and vengeance motivation. Sex Roles, 52(3–4), 165–173. doi:10.1007/s11199-005-1292-6.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Frías, S. M. (2013). Strategies and help-seeking behavior among Mexican women experiencing partner violence. Violence Against Women, 19(24), 24–50. doi:10.1177/1077801212475334.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Garcia-Moreno, C., Jansen, H. M., Ellsberg, M., Heise, L., & Watts, C. H. (2006). Prevalence of intimate partner violence: Findings from the WHO multi-country study on women’s health and domestic violence. The Lancet, 368(9543), 1260–1269. doi:10.1016/S0140-6736(06)69523-8.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gastineau, B., & Gathier, L. (2012). Violences conjugales à Antananarivo (Madagascar): Un enjeu de santé publique [Domestic violence in Antananarivo (Madagascar): A public health issue. The Pan African Medical Journal, 11(23), 1-10. doi:10.11604/pamj.2012.11.23.1485.

  • Gaymard, S. (2014). The theory of conditionality: An illustration of the place of norms in the field of social thinking. Journal for the Theory of Social Behaviour, 44(2), 229–247. doi:10.1111/jtsb.12039.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gilbert, D. T., & Hixon, J. G. (1991). The trouble of thinking: Activation and application of stereotyping beliefs. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 60(4), 509–517. doi:10.1037//0022-3514.60.4.509.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Glick, P., & Fiske, S. T. (1996). The ambivalent sexism inventory: Differentiating hostile and benevolent sexism. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 70(3), 491–512. doi:10.1037/0022-3514.70.3.491.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Glick, P., & Fiske, S. T. (2001). Ambivalent stereotypes as legitimizing ideologies: Differentiating paternalistic and envious prejudice. In J. T. Jost & B. Major (Eds.), The psychology of legitimacy. Emerging perspectives on ideology, justice, and intergroup relations (pp. 278–306). Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Goffman, E. (1977). The arrangement between the sexes. Theory and Society, 4(3), 301–331.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Guarnaccia, C., Giannone, F., Falgares, G., Caligaris, A. O., & Sales-Wuillemin, E. (2015). Differences in social representation of blood donation between donors and non-donors: An empirical study. Blood Transfusion, 4, 1–7. doi:10.2450/2015.0048-15.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hamby, S., & Jackson, A. (2010). Size does matter: The effects of gender on perceptions of dating violence. Sex Roles, 63(5–6), 324–331. doi:10.1007/s11199-010-9816-0.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hamel, C. (2011). Violences faites aux femmes: la volonté de ne pas savoir [Violence against women: The will not to know]. In C. Delphy (Ed.), Un troussage domestique (pp. 85–95). Paris: Syllepse.

    Google Scholar 

  • Harrison, L. A., & Esqueda, C. W. (2000). Effects of race and victim drinking, on domestic violence attributions. Sex Roles, 42(11–12), 1043–1057. doi:10.1023/A:100704070188.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hayes, A. F. (2013). An introduction to mediation, moderation, and conditional process analysis: A regression-based approach. New York: Guilford Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Heider, F. (1958). The psychology of interpersonal relations. New York: Wiley.

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • Henrion, R. (2001). Les femmes victimes de violences conjugales [Women victims of domestic violence]. Paris: Documentation Française.

    Google Scholar 

  • Herman, E. (2016). Lutter contre les violences conjugales [Fighting domestic violence]. Rennes: Presses Universitaires de Rennes.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hernandez Orellana, M., & Kunert, S. (2014). Quand l’État parle des violences faites aux femmes [When the state talks about violence against women]. Lussaud: Fontenay-le-Comte.

  • IRaMuTeQ. (2017). Software developed by Pierre Ratinaud. Retrieved from http://www.iramuteq.org/.

  • Jaspard, M. (2005). Les violences contre les femmes [Violence against women]. Paris: La Découverte.

  • Jaspard, M., Brown, E., Condon, S., Fougeyrollas-Schwebel, D., Houel, A., Lhomond, B., et al. (2003). Les violences envers les femmes en France, une enquête nationale [Violence against women in France, a national survey]. Paris: Documentation Française.

    Google Scholar 

  • Jodelet, D. (1989). Les représentations sociales [Social representations]. Paris: Presses Universitaires de France.

    Google Scholar 

  • Jodelet, D. (1992). L’idéologie dans l’étude des représentations sociales [ideology in the study of social representations]. In V. Aebischer, J. P. Deconchy, & E. M. Lipiansky (Eds.), Idéologies et représentations sociales (pp. 219–266). Cousset: DelVal.

    Google Scholar 

  • Jodelet, D. (2015). Représentations sociales et mondes de vie [Social representations and lifeworlds]. Paris: Éditions des archives contemporaines.

    Google Scholar 

  • Jones, E. E., & Davis, K. E. (1965). From acts to dispositions: The attribution process in social psychology. In L. Berkowitz (Ed.), Advances in experimental social psychology (Vol. 2, pp. 219–266). New York: Academic Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kelley, H. H. (1973). The processes of causal attribution. American Psychologist, 28, 107–128.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kosakowska-Berezecka, N., Besta, T., Adamska, K., Jaśkiewicz, M., Jurek, P., & Vandello, J. A. (2016). If my masculinity is threatened I won’t support gender equality? The role of agentic self-stereotyping in restoration of manhood and perception of gender relations. Psychology of Men & Masculinity, 17(3), 274–284. doi:10.1037/men0000016.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Koski, P. R., & Mangold, W. D. (1988). Gender effects in attitudes about family violence. Journal of Family Violence, 3(3), 225–237. doi:10.1007/BF00988977.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Koss, M. P., Goodman, L. A., Browne, A., Fitzgerald, L. F., Keita, G. P., & Russo, N. F. (1994). No safe haven: Male violence against women at home, at work, and in the community. Washington, DC: American Psychological Association.

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • Liang, B., Goodman, L., Tummala-Narra, P., & Weintraub, S. (2005). A theoretical framework for understanding help-seeking processes among survivors of intimate partner violence. American Journal of Community Psychology, 36(1–2), 71–84. doi:10.1007/s10464-005-6233-6.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Mernissi, F. (1983). Sexe, idéologie, Islam [Gender, ideology, Islam]. Paris: Tierce.

  • Morin, T., Jaluzot, L., & Picard, S. (2013). Femmes et hommes face à la violence [Women and men facing violence]. Retrieved from http://www.insee.fr/fr/ffc/ipweb/ip1473/ip1473.pdf.

  • Moscovici, S. (1984). The phenomenon of social representations. In R. M. Farr & S. Moscovici (Eds.), Social representations (pp. 3–70). Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Moscovici, S. (2001). Why a theory of social representations? In K. Deaux & G. Philogene (Eds.), Representations of the social (pp. 8–35). Oxford: Blackwell.

    Google Scholar 

  • Moscovici, S. (2008). Psychoanalysis: Its image and its public. Cambridge: Polity Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Parducci, A. (1983). Category ratings and the relational character of judgment. Advances in Psychology, 11, 262–282.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Peters, J. (2008). Measuring myths about domestic violence: Development and initial validation of the domestic violence myth acceptance scale. Journal of Aggression, Maltreatment & Trauma, 16(1), 1–21. doi:10.1080/10926770801917780.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Piermattéo, A., Lo Monaco, G., Moreau, L., Girandola, F., & Tavani, J.-L. (2014). Context variations and pluri-methodological issues concerning the expression of a social representation: The example of the gypsy community. Spanish Journal of Psychology, 17, 1–12. doi:10.1017/sjp.2014.84.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Policastro, C., & Payne, B. K. (2013). The blameworthy victim: Domestic violence myths and the criminalization of victimhood. Journal of Aggression, Maltreatment & Trauma, 22(4), 329–347. doi:10.1080/10926771.2013.775985.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Pyles, L., Katie, M. M., Mariame, B. B., Suzette, G. G., & DeChiro, J. (2012). Building bridges to safety and justice: Stories of survival and resistance. Affilia: Journal of Women & Social Work, 27(1), 84–94. doi:10.1177/0886109912437487.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rateau, P., & Lo Monaco, G. (2016). La théorie structurale ou l'horlogerie des nuages [structural theory or the watchmaking of clouds]. In G. Lo Monaco, S. Delouvée, & P. Rateau (Eds.), Les représentations sociales (pp. 113–130). De Boeck: Brussels.

    Google Scholar 

  • Rateau, P., Moliner, P., Guimelli, C., & Abric, J. (2011). Social representation theory. In P. M. Van Lange, A. W. Kruglanski, E. T. Higgins, P. M. Van Lange, A. W. Kruglanski, & E. T. Higgins (Eds.), Handbook of theories of social psychology (Vol. 2, pp. 477–497). Thousand Oaks: Sage.

    Google Scholar 

  • Reinert, M. (1983). Une méthode de classification descendante hiérarchique. Application à l’analyse lexicale par contexte [a method of a top-down hierarchical classification. Application to lexical analysis by context]. Cahiers de l’analyse des données, 7, 187–198.

    Google Scholar 

  • Reinert, M. (1986). Un logiciel d’analyse lexicale (ALCESTE) [a lexical analysis software (ALCESTE)]. Cahiers de l’analyse des données, 4, 471–484.

    Google Scholar 

  • Smith, J. A. (1995). Semi-structured interviewing and qualitative analysis. In J. A. Smith, R. Harre, & L. van Langenhove (Eds.), Rethinking methods in psychology (pp. 9–26). London: Sage.

    Google Scholar 

  • Stangor, C., Swim, J. K., Van Allen, K. L., & Sechrist, G. B. (2002). Reporting discrimination in public and private contexts. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 82(1), 69–74. doi:10.1037//0022-3514.82.1.69.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Stewart, A., & Maddren, K. (1997). Police officers’ judgements of blame in family violence: The impact of gender and alcohol. Sex Roles, 37(11–12), 921–933. doi:10.1007/BF02936347.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Strauss, A. L., & Corbin, J. (1990). Basics of qualitative research: Grounded theory procedures and techniques. Thousand Oaks: Sage.

    Google Scholar 

  • Sylaska, K. M., & Walters, A. S. (2014). Testing the extent of the gender trap: College students’ perceptions of and reactions to intimate partner violence. Sex Roles, 70(3–4), 134–145. doi:10.1007/s11199-014-0344-1.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Taylor, C. A., & Sorenson, S. B. (2005). Community-based norms about intimate partner violence: Putting attributions of fault and responsibility into context. Sex Roles, 53, 573–589. doi:10.1007/s11199-005-7143-7.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • United Nations. (1993). Declaration on the elimination of violence against women (A/RES/48/104). Retrieved from http://www.un.org/documents/ga/res/48/a48r104.htm.

  • Vandello, J. A., & Cohen, D. (2003). Male honor and female fidelity: Implicit cultural scripts that perpetuate domestic violence. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 84(5), 997–1010. doi:10.1037/0022-3514.84.5.997.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Wandrei, M. L., & Rupert, P. A. (2000). Professional psychologists’ conceptualizations of intimate partner violence. Psychotherapy: Theory, Research, Practice, Training, 37(3), 270–283. doi:10.1037/h0087788.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Witte, T. H., Schroeder, D. A., & Lohr, S. J. (2006). Blame for intimate partner violence: An attributional analysis. Journal of Social and Clinical Psychology, 25(6), 647–667. doi:10.1521/jscp.2006.25.6.647.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Worden, A. P., & Carlson, B. E. (2005). Attitudes and beliefs about domestic violence: Results of a public opinion survey: II. Beliefs about causes. Journal of Interpersonal Violence, 20(10), 1219–1243. doi:10.1177/0886260505278531.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Yamawaki, N., Ochoa-Shipp, M., Pulsipher, C., Harlos, A., & Swindler, S. (2012). Perceptions of domestic violence: The effects of domestic violence myths, victim’s relationship with her abuser, and the decision to return to her abuser. Journal of Interpersonal Violence, 27(16), 3195–3212. doi:10.1177/0886260512441253.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgements

Our work was supported by the region of Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur (PACA). Solveig Lelaurain and David Fonte are both first co-authors.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Aix Marseille Univ, LPS, Aix-en-Provence, France

    Solveig Lelaurain, David Fonte, Marie-Anastasie Aim, Nicolas Khatmi, Thibaut Decarsin, Grégory Lo Monaco & Thémis Apostolidis

Authors
  1. Solveig Lelaurain
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. David Fonte
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Marie-Anastasie Aim
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Nicolas Khatmi
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Thibaut Decarsin
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  6. Grégory Lo Monaco
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  7. Thémis Apostolidis
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Solveig Lelaurain.

Ethics declarations

Conflict of Interest

The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

Research Involving Human Participants and/or Animals

The study was carried out in accordance with the 1964 Helsinki declaration and its later amendments, the ethical principles of the French Code of Ethics for Psychologists, and the World Health Organization ethical recommendations for research on violence against women.

Informed Consent

Informed consent was obtained from all participants included in the study.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Lelaurain, S., Fonte, D., Aim, MA. et al. “One Doesn’t Slap a Girl but…” Social Representations and Conditional Logics in Legitimization of Intimate Partner Violence. Sex Roles 78, 637–652 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11199-017-0821-4

Download citation

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11199-017-0821-4

Keywords

Search

Navigation