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Face to Blame: How Images of Perpetrators and Victims Impact Perceptions of IPV

Fri, September 5, 3:30 to 4:45pm, Communications Building (CN), CN 3105

Abstract

This study examines the impact of presenting images of the perpetrator and victim of intimate partner violence (IPV) on the legitimization of this crime. IPV, a significant social and public health issue, is often associated with greater acceptance and normalization. As a result, it can lead to victim-blaming, diminished empathy toward the victim, and/or exoneration of the perpetrator’s responsibility.
Two experiments were conducted on the Prolific platform with an American sample. In the first experiment, participants (N = 450) selected the face of a potential victim and perpetrator from a set of images and rated their accountability for the crime (on a scale from 0 to 100%), which served as a measure of IPV legitimization. The photo selection and accountability ratings were presented in random order. A MANOVA revealed a significant effect of randomization on accountability (F(1, 442) = .974, p = .005) measures, with participants perceiving the offender as less accountable when they selected a face before answering the legitimization question (p = .023). The results suggest that presenting the perpetrator's image may have a mitigating effect on the assessment of their actions.
Building on these results, the next experiment will present a scenario styled as online crime news in four conditions: 1) with only the face of the perpetrator, 2) with only the face of the victim, 3) with both faces, and 4) with no faces. This time, legitimization of IPV will be measured across multiple dimensions, including accountability and moral evaluation, and participants will assess their compassion for both the victim and the offender, as well as their willingness to help. The results of this study will be presented at the conference for the first time.

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