The Impacts of Conservatism, Social Dominance, and Rape Myth Acceptance on Blame Attribution in Ambiguous Rape Scenarios

Participants (N=496) reviewed an ambiguous rape scenario involving a ‘perpetrator’ in a high/low authority position, and a ‘victim’ who had/had not consumed alcohol. They indicated whether they viewed what happened as rape, and rated the perceived responsibility of the individuals involved. They also completed Conservatism and Rape Myth Acceptance scales. Most believed the scenario to constitute rape. Perpetrator responsibility ratings were highest in the high-authority condition, and victims were assigned greater responsibility when they had consumed alcohol. Those who scored higher on the Conservatism/RMA scale attributed less responsibility to the perpetrator and more responsibility to the victim across all conditions.