The effects of R-rated violence and erotica, individual differences, and victim characteristics on acquaintance rape proclivity

Abstract

Scenes from current R-rated films depicting nonviolent erotica, nonerotic violence, or neutral control material were presented to 70 undergraduate males, each of whom watched the material with a female confederate. Following the tape's completion, the confederate went elsewhere, and subjects completed several dispositional measures, evaluations of the confederate, and their likelihood of sexually aggressing against the confederate and of committing rape against a hypothetical woman. Contrary to the hypotheses, no film effects were found for either sexual aggression measure. As predicted, however, hypermasculinity and past sexual aggression and coercion were highly positively correlated with both dependent measures, and victim characteristics influenced acquaintance rape likelihood only among subjects high in hypermasculinity. An explanation of the findings based on the acquaintance-rape-prone individual's fear of appearing unmanly was proposed.