‘Reasonable’ perceptions of stalking: The influence of conduct severity and the perpetrator-target relationship

Scott, Adrian J. and Sheridan, Lorraine. 2011. ‘Reasonable’ perceptions of stalking: The influence of conduct severity and the perpetrator-target relationship. Psychology, Crime and Law, 17(4), pp. 331-343. ISSN 1068-316X [Article]

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Abstract or Description

Ex-partner stalkers are more persistent and dangerous than stranger stalkers, but are less likely to be convicted of an offence. This research considers whether the just world hypothesis (JWH) can account for this apparent contradiction. An experimental 3×3 independent factorial design was used to investigate the influence of conduct severity and the perpetrator–target relationship on perceptions of stalking. Three hundred and thirty-four students were presented with one of nine vignettes and asked to complete five scale items relating to the situation described. Conduct severity and the perpetrator–target relationship produced significant main effects for the combined scale items. The perpetrator's behaviour was perceived to constitute stalking, necessitate police intervention and/or criminal charges, and cause the target alarm or personal distress to a greater extent when the perpetrator and target were depicted as strangers rather than ex-partners. Conversely, the target was perceived to be less responsible for encouraging the perpetrator's behaviour in the stranger condition compared to the ex-partner condition. The JWH provides a possible explanation for the influence of the perpetrator–target relationship on perceptions of stalking. Future research could utilize more realistic vignettes to increase the impact of the perpetrator's behaviour.

Item Type:

Article

Identification Number (DOI):

https://doi.org/10.1080/10683160903203961

Keywords:

stalking legislation, perceptions of stalking, conduct severity, perpetrator–target relationship, JWH

Departments, Centres and Research Units:

Psychology > Forensic Psychology Unit

Dates:

DateEvent
23 July 2009Accepted
May 2011Published
28 January 2010Published Online

Item ID:

20419

Date Deposited:

18 May 2017 15:04

Last Modified:

12 May 2022 15:32

Peer Reviewed:

Yes, this version has been peer-reviewed.

URI:

https://research.gold.ac.uk/id/eprint/20419

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