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The Influence of Gender Role Stereotypes, the Woman's Race, and Level of Provocation and Resistance on Domestic Violence Culpability Attributions

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Abstract

The influence of traditional or egalitarian gender role stereotypes on perceptions of domestic violence was investigated when the woman's race and her provocation of and resistance to domestic violence were varied. Two hundred eighty-eight European American participants who varied in their gender role stereotype beliefs provided culpability ratings. A factor analysis reduced culpability items to six concepts. Biases against the African American woman occurred, but not to the European American woman, particularly when she provoked the man. The woman's behavior before and after violence influenced participants' culpability notions, and beliefs in gender role stereotypes influenced perceptions of truthfulness based on race. Implications for the scope of educational programs to enhance support and eliminate biases are discussed.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Psychology and the Institute for Ethnic Studies, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Lincoln, Nebraska

    Cynthia Willis Esqueda & Lisa A. Harrison

  2. Department of Psychology, California State University, Sacramento, California

    Lisa A. Harrison

  3. Department of Psychology, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, 336 Burnett Hall, Lincoln, Nebraska, 68588-0308

    Cynthia Willis Esqueda

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  1. Cynthia Willis Esqueda
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  2. Lisa A. Harrison
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Correspondence to Cynthia Willis Esqueda.

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Portions of the results were presented at the 2003 International Psychology and Law Conference, Edinburgh, Scotland.

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Esqueda, C.W., Harrison, L.A. The Influence of Gender Role Stereotypes, the Woman's Race, and Level of Provocation and Resistance on Domestic Violence Culpability Attributions. Sex Roles 53, 821–834 (2005). https://doi.org/10.1007/11199s-005-8295-1

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