The Effect of Power versus Personal Control on Rape Myth Acceptance

Much of the literature regarding rape myth acceptance has focused on factors that increase these attitudes, and little research has been done on factors that may decrease rape myth acceptance. Two studies were conducted to look at the effects of priming with either power (Study 1) or personal control (Study 2) on rape myth acceptance. Study 1 used power poses to prime participants, before they completed measures of rape myth acceptance, sexism, system justification and self-objectification. I found a significant three-way interaction between benevolent sexism, gender and power on rape myth acceptance, whereby males with high levels of benevolent sexism showed an increase in rape myth acceptance after a high power prime, relative to a low power prime. Study 2 used an online questionnaire to measure sexism levels and then prime participants with personal control, before assessing rape myth acceptance. The results again showed a significant effect for males with high levels of benevolent sexism; however, this time they showed a decrease in rape myth acceptance when personal control was increased, relative to the decreased control condition. It seems that personal control can decrease rape myth acceptance, while power increases rape myth acceptance, but only for males who are high in benevolent sexism. The results of both studies are discussed, and limitations and future recommendations are considered.