Instructions for Assigning Blame to the Victim Survey
This is a study involving the assignment of blame or fault. You will be asked to read descriptions of various scenarios and to rate the extent to which you think that the victim deserves some of the blame for the incident.
Although coming from different backgrounds, the victim and Rob had become fairly good friends. They had met two years before and began to develop a non-sexual friendship, or at least that is what the victim thought. One spring afternoon, Rob and the victim had plans to go to the beach. Rob suggested making a brief stop at his friend house. The victim had been over to that house before, so it seemed nothing new. The friend was not home, but Rob had a key. Once they entered, Rob drank alcohol and offered the victim some. (In different cases below, you will learn that the victim either did or did not accept the alcohol. In some cases, you will not know if the victim accepted the beer and you will have to make your judgments based on the information you do have.) After an hour, the victim went to the bathroom. As the victim came out, Rob had a glazed look on his face. Rob tickled the victim despite a request to stop. Rob would not listen to repeated requests to stop. The victim resisted, but Rob used more force and strength. Rob forced the victim to the floor and began a sexual battery, which despite the victim’s pleading and resistance, led to forcible rape.
In the cases that follow, three variables differ from trial to trial. The victim’s age, the victim’s gender, and whether the victim accepted the alcohol that Rob offered, will vary throughout the questionnaire. In some cases, you may not have all of the information, and you will make your judgments based on what you do know.
Gender: The victim was male or female (or unspecified).
Age: The victim’s age was 13, 21, or 35 (or unspecified).
Alcohol: The victim refused or accepted the alcohol (or unspecified).
Please read each set of variables, imagine the scenario, and rate the degree of blame that may be attributed to the victim of the rape. To what extent was the victim responsible, at least in part, for getting into this situation?
Warmup Trials