Showing papers by "Neil M. Malamuth published in 1984"

Debriefing effectiveness following exposure to pornographic rape depictions.

Abstract: Data are presented concerning the ethics of exposing undergraduate students to pornographic rape portrayals followed by a debriefing designed to dispel a number of rape myths. One hundred fifty males and females were randomly assigned to read pornographic stories. Some of these depicted a rape, whereas others depicted mutually consenting intercourse. Afterwards, those exposed to the rape version were given a debriefing which included statements concerning the true horror of rape and the existence of rape myths. About 10 days later, a "Public Survey" ostensibly conducted by a local committee of citizens was given to subjects in their classes. A postexperimental questionnaire confirmed that participants were not aware that this survey was related to the earlier phase of the research. As part of the survey, subjects were presented with actual newspaper articles about which their opinions were solicited. One of these articles, the dependent measure of the study, concerned rape. Subjects indicated their reactions to this article and their opinions about the general causes of rape. The results indicated that those exposed to the rape depictions followed by a "rape debriefing" were less accepting of certain rape myths than subjects exposed to mutually consenting intercourse depictions. Implications of the data for future research in this area are discussed both in terms of work focusing on the potential antisocial impact of violent pornography and of research specifically designed to identify the conditions most likely to change acceptance of rape myths.

Aggression against Women: Cultural and Individual Causes

Abstract: Publisher Summary Analysis of the causes of male violence against women requires consideration of the interaction among three types of factors—cultural factors that affect members of the society in general, the psychological makeup of individuals who are more likely to commit such acts of violence, and situational factors that may suppress or trigger the actual expression of aggressive responses. This chapter presents the data from a research program that is designed particularly to investigate cultural and individual causes of aggression against women, although some attention has also been given to situational factors. The primary focus of the research has been on violent inclinations in the general population rather than on individuals who were arrested for crimes such as rape. It is anticipated, however, that the findings also shed some light on the roots of aggressive acts that come to the attention of legal and mental health agencies.

Can there be positive effects of participation in pornography experiments

Abstract: This two-phase experiment was conducted in response to recent ethical concerns about the possible antisocial effects of exposing research subjects to pornographic rape portrayals. In Phase 1, subjects were randomly assigned to read either an "acquaintance" rape depiction, a "stranger" rape depiction, or to read control materials. Subjects who read the rape depictions were then given a rape debriefing. This debriefing included a communication about the undesirable desensitizing effects of pairing sexual violence with other highly explicit and pleasing sexual stimuli. It was also designed to dispel a number of myths about rape. Half of the subjects who read the control materials were also given the rape debriefing, whereas the other half were given a control debriefing. This design enabled the assessment of the independent and interactive effects of the rape depictions and of the rape debriefing (although ethical considerations did not enable the use of a fully crossed factorial design). In Phase 2, subjects were presented with a number of newspaper articles (in which a newspaper report of a rape was embedded) and asked to give their opinions. The results indicated that the rape debriefing generally increased subjects' perceptions of pornography as a cause of rape. Subjects in the rape debriefing conditions also gave the rapist in the newspaper report a higher sentence, and saw the rape victim as less responsible, than did subjects in the control conditions. This latter effect, however, only occurred under conditions where subjects had earlier been exposed to an example of a rape depiction which was relevant to both the rape myths discussed in the rape debriefing and the newspaper report of the rape. These data suggest that participation in pornography experiments employing pornographic rape depictions can have an educational impact on subjects' postexperimental attitudes, if the debriefing is appropriately constructed to dispel any rape myths that may be portrayed in the rape depictions.

The Mass Media, Individual Characteristics, and Aggression Against Women

Abstract: Varied sources of data suggest that male aggression against females occurs with considerable frequency among young people. For example, Giarusso, Johnson, Goodchilds, and Zellman (1979) reported that over 50% of the large sample of male high school students interviewed believed that it was acceptable “…for a guy to hold a girl down and force her to have sexual intercourse” in various situations, such as when “she gets him sexually excited” or “she says she’s going to have sex with him and then changes her mind.” Similarly, Kanin and his associates (Kanin, 1957, 1965, 1967; Kanin and Parcell, 1977) found that over half of the female college students interviewed reported experiencing offensive male sexual aggression during the previous year. Furthermore, FBI Crime Statistics (1978, 1979, 1980) indicate consistently that the most frequent age of arrest for rape is 18 years. Consequently, the topic of aggression against women is certainly relevant to the primary focus of this book--aggression in children and adolescents.