Predicting Perceptions of Sexual Harassment Based on Type of Resistance and Belief in Token Resistance

Abstract

This study examined perceptions of sexual harassment based on belief in women's use of token resistance and a victim's physical or verbal resistance to unwanted sexual attention, described in experimentally manipulated vignettes. Findings from 541 undergraduates revealed that a stronger belief in token resistance was associated with weaker perceptions of sexual harassment. Results showed that any type of resistance led to stronger perceptions of sexual harassment than no resistance at all, except for those with a stronger belief in women's use of token resistance. Perceptions among those with a stronger belief strengthened only when there were two forms of resistance offered simultaneously. These findings extend the literature by investigating the influence of physical resistance on sexual harassment perceptions.

Notes

Note. In each section, means that do not share subscripts differ at the p < .0001 level.

Strong and weak belief groups differed in the physical (p < .0001) and verbal (p ≤ .002) conditions, but not in the control or combined conditions. Higher scores indicate stronger perceptions of sexual harassment.