Toward an Understanding of Victim Blaming: The Role of Need for Cognition and Ambivalent Sexism in Predicting Attitudes Towards Sexuality and Rape Myth Acceptance

• In Event: ICA Interactive Paper/Poster Session II
  In Interactive Paper Session: Feminist Scholarship Interactive Poster Session

Abstract

The present study examines the associations between need or cognition, ambivalent sexism, attitudes toward sexuality, and rape myth acceptance. The findings suggest that the need for cognition is positively associated with more open attitudes toward sexuality and lower rape myth acceptance. Hostile sexism is positively associated with benevolent sexism, negatively associated with attitudes toward sexuality, and positively associated with rape myth acceptance. More surprising, benevolent sexism was negatively associated with attitudes toward sexuality and also positively associated with rape myth acceptance.

Authors

• Kara Winkler, U of Connecticut

• Anuraj Dhillon, U of Connecticut