Implicit Criminal and Victim Identities Moderate the Effect of Gender and Past Criminal and Victim Experiences on Poor Mental Health

• In Event: Gender, Criminality, and Victimization: Implications and Consequences for Mental Health

Abstract

Cultural gender roles have shaped the expectations that women are not criminals and that men are not victims. We examine how the discrepancy between such gender expectations and past criminality among women and victimization among men affect mental health. Using an implicit social cognition framework, we posit that such effects are moderated by implicit criminal identities among women and implicit victim identities among men. Across two studies, participants whose victimization experience was chronically salient (Study 1, N=103) or whose criminal experience was made temporarily salient (Study 2, N=103) completed an Implicit Association Test to measure speeded associations between the self and victim (Study 1) and the self and criminal (Study 2), followed by depression and anxiety measures. Study 1 found that implicit victim identification predicted poor mental health only among male victims. Study 2 found that only among women whose criminal experience was made temporarily salient, strong implicit criminal identity was associated with poor mental health. This research has implications for the factors and processes underlying recidivism and revictimization, as well as establishing effective mental health interventions among offenders and victims.

Authors

• Luis M. Rivera, Rutgers University

• Nicole Marie Sachs, Rutgers University

• Bonita Veysey, Rutgers University

• Marina Henein, Rutgers University