Perceptions of, and attitudes towards, terrorists as a function of offender suffering and gender.
Item
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Title
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Perceptions of, and attitudes towards, terrorists as a function of offender suffering and gender.
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Identifier
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AAI9630478
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identifier
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9630478
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Creator
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Kuleshnyk, Irka Christine.
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Contributor
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Adviser: Carl F. Wiedemann
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Date
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1996
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Language
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English
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Publisher
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City University of New York.
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Subject
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Sociology, Criminology and Penology
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Abstract
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The present study investigated perceptions of, and attitudes towards terrorists as a function of the gender of the terrorist as well as the relevancy and temporality (also referred to as timing) of the terrorist's suffering. Subjects were 248 student volunteers at a liberal arts college who were asked to read a report of a hypothetical terrorist event and to complete a number of instruments. The gender of the terrorist and the circumstances of the terrorist's suffering were varied in the report. A 2 (male terrorist or female terrorist) x 2 (precrime suffering or during crime suffering) x 3 (relevant suffering or irrelevant suffering or no suffering) between subjects factorial experimental design was used.;The hypotheses regarding suffering were based on equity theory and predicted that the terrorist whose suffering is relevant and occurs close in time to the terrorist act will be perceived and treated more favorably than the terrorist whose suffering is irrelevant and occurs before the terrorist act (i.e. in childhood). The hypotheses regarding gender, based on the combined model (which in this case is also consistent with predictions made by the evil woman model), predicted that the female terrorist would be perceived in a more negative manner and thus treated more harshly than her male counterpart.;An ANOVA conducted on the main experimental variables revealed that in general, the hypotheses were not confirmed. However subsequent analyses, including an ANCOVA between the experimental analysis and demographic variables, revealed that various results were consistent with gender stereotypes, cognitive dissonance theory, the belief in a just world theory, and the "abuse excuse." In addition, the gender of the subjects proved to be influential determinants of the results.;Implications for society's treatment and punishment of terrorists are discussed, as are avenues for future research.
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Type
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dissertation
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Source
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PQT Legacy CUNY.xlsx
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degree
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Ph.D.
