A Social Identity Approach to Understanding Responses to Child Sexual Abuse Allegations.

ABSTRACT: Two studies investigated the role of group allegiances in contributing to the failure of institutions to appropriately respond to allegations of child sexual abuse. In Study 1, 601 participants read a news article detailing an allegation of child sexual abuse against a Catholic Priest. Catholics were more protective of the accused-and more skeptical of the accuser-than other participants, an effect that was particularly pronounced among strongly identified Catholics. In Study 2 (N = 404), the tendency for Catholics to be more protective of the accused and more skeptical of the accuser than non-Catholics was replicated. Moreover, these effects held independently of the objective likelihood that the accused was guilty. Overall, the data show that group loyalties provide a psychological motiv

SUBMITTER: Minto K 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4844126 | biostudies-literature | 2016

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature