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Observers' Evaluations of Couples Involved in Date Rape
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by Mathilde M. Tarsi and Norine L. Jalbert* - Western Connecticut State University
Category: Social
Ninety volunteer men and women viewed photographs of low-, medium-, and high-attractive male and female couples and read a brief description of a date rape incident. Consistent with previous research, women rated the high-attractive woman as less responsible for the date rape than the low-attractive woman. Observers' evaluations of the couples did not confirm a linear relationship between victim attractiveness and responsibility attributions, and they held the medium-attractive woman most responsible. The results are discussed in terms of just world theory, gender bias, attractiveness bias, and similarity to the target.