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Finding Fault Versus Attributing Responsibility

Using Facts Differently

Georgetown University

Jacqueline M. Davies

Georgetown University

To clarify the processes underlying attribution of responsibility and assignment of fault to a victim, female undergraduates read one of four descriptions of a rape perpetrated b, an assailant who had followed the victim home on previous occasions (assault premeditated) or had not (assault not premeditated), against a victim who attempted to take precautions (precautions attempted) or failed to do so (precautions not attempted). More fault was assigned to the victim who failed to take precautions than to the victim who attempted to take precautions. In addition, an interaction was obtained on the responsibility measure such that the maximum responsibility was attributed to the victim who failed to take precautions when the assailant's behavior suggested that his assault was not premeditated. Thus, in judging a rape victim women use information about the victim to assign fault, but they use information about actions of both victim and assailant to attribute responsibility.

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