Effect of Dress,Cosmetics,Sex of Subject,and Causal Inference on Attribution of Victim Responsibility1

Abstract

This study investigated the influence of dress, cosmetics, sex of subject, and causal inference on attribution of a rape victim's responsibility. Six hundred ten university students served as subjects. Each subject received a questionnaire with a photograph attached, a vignette of a bogus rape victim and a responsibility scale. Data were analyzed using analysis of variance and the Neuman-Keul's test. Results indicated that both dress and causal inference exerted a significant influence on subject's attribution of victim responsibility. Subjects attributed more responsibility for the rape to victims appearing in the most provocative dress than those victims appearing in provocative or least provocative dress. Those subjects who indicated they believed victim ability or effort may have contributed to the rape attributed more responsibility to the victim than those individuals who indicated the situation or chance contributed to the rape. Results are discussed in terms of attribution theory.

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