Understanding men’s sexual aggression against women: dehumanization, objectification and development of a measure of online intrusive behaviors
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Date
26/06/2020Author
Bevens, Casey Lynn
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Abstract
This thesis successfully accomplishes two major aims. First, it explores the
relationship between dehumanization, objectification, and men’s sexual
aggression. Correlational and experimental results robustly support a role of
dehumanization (particularly animalistic dehumanization), but not
objectification, in men’s sexual aggression in an online context and when
there is limited information about the potential target woman. However,
evidence from this thesis does not point to a role of dehumanization or
objectification in a more naturalistic (lab) setting, or when there is more than
minimal information about a woman available to men. Secondly, we aimed to
develop and validate a novel behavioral measure of men’s sexual
aggression, the intrusive behavior paradigm. This methodology can be used
to assess emerging manifestations of sexual aggression in the form of online
behaviors specific to the digital age (otherwise known as technology-facilitated
sexual aggression), as well as sexual aggression more generally.
Results broadly support the use of this paradigm as representing a realistic
and ecologically valid; practically effective and feasible; and ethically sound
alternative that complements and expands on existing measures of men’s
sexual aggression.