Victim as an Identity: Experimental and Cross-Sectional Data from an Implicit Association Test

• In Event: Implicit Social Cognitive Processes Underlying Criminal and Victim Identities: Data from Laboratory Experiments and Field Studies

Abstract

For decades, theorists and researchers have relied on routine activities, lifestyle theories, and individual risk factors to explain victimization and re-victimization. Recent theoretical and methodological innovations in implicit social cognition theory have provided a new perspective on common criminological problems. This research investigates “victim” as an identity construct and is comprised of three data collection phases with Rutgers undergraduate students. Phase 1 adopts the single-category Implicit Association Test (IAT) to develop a reliable measure of an implicit victim identity. Phase 2 tests the validity of the IAT measure by examining victim and non-victim group differences in an implicit victim identity. Phase 3 uses an experimental design to manipulate victimization (via video vignettes) and tests its effect on implicit victim identity. This research can have implications for what makes past victims exceptionally vulnerable to re-victimization, and can help in establishing efforts to prevent further victimization.

Authors

• Nicole Sachs, Rutgers University

• Bonita Veysey, Rutgers University

• Luis M. Rivera, Rutgers University