Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Men’s Acquaintance Rape Scripts: A Comparison Between a Regional University and a Military Academy

  • Original Article
  • Published:
Sex Roles Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Men’s acquaintance rape scripts were investigated to determine if background experiences impacted the type of script elicited. Men were selected from either a regional public university (n = 147) or a military academy (n = 283) to represent broad general background experiences. Overall, similarities in the five types of scripts elicited were evident, which are reflective of the cultural components that underlie men’s expectations of what occurs in these situations. The influence of background experiences was noted in differences in both the frequency with which scripts were reported as well as the individual content of each script. Modeling analyses uncovered the latent structure for these differences. Suggestions for possible explanations for these differences, such as the role of traditional gender role attitudes, are discussed.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Abbey, A., BeShears, R., Clinton-Sherrod, A. M., & McAuslan, P. (2004). Similarities and differences in women’s sexual assault experiences based on tactics used by the perpetrator. Psychology of Women Quarterly, 28, 323–332.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Abbey, A., McAuslan, P., Zawacki, T., Clinton, A. M., & Buck, P. O. (2001). Attitudinal, experiential, and situational predictors of sexual assault perpetration. Journal of Interpersonal Violence, 16, 784–807.

    Google Scholar 

  • Adams, J. (1984). Women at West Point: A three-year perspective. Sex Roles, 11, 525–541.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bachar, K., & Koss, M. P. (2001). From prevalence to prevention: Closing the gap between what we know about rape and what we do. In C. M. Renzetti, J. L. Edleson, & R. K. Bergen (Eds.), Sourcebook on violence against women (pp. 117–142). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bartoli, A. M., & Clark, M. D. (2006). The dating game: Similarities and differences in dating scripts among college students. Sexuality and Culture, 10(4), 54–80.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bechhofer, L., & Parrot, A. (1991). What is acquaintance rape? In A. Parrot & L. Bechhofer (Eds.), Acquaintance rape: The hidden crime (pp. 9–25). New York: Wiley.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bondurant, B. (2001). University women’s acknowledgment of rape. Violence Against Women, 7, 294–314.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bower, G. H., Black, J. B., & Turner, T. J. (1979). Scripts in memory for text. Cognitive Psychology, 11, 177–220.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Brener, N. D., McMahon, P. M., Warren, C. W., & Douglas, K. A. (1999). Forced sexual intercourse and associated health-risk behaviors among female college students in the United States. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 67, 252–259.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Byers, E. S. (1996). How well does the Traditional Sexual Script explain sexual coercion? Review of a program of research. Journal of Psychology & Human Sexuality, 8, 7–25.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Clark, M. D. (1992, November). Subjective definitions of rape. Paper presented at the annual meeting of the Psychonomic Society, St. Louis, MO.

  • Clark, M. D., Miller, M. S., Moore, D. L., & Waugh, C. K. (1992). Scripts for date rape: Similarities and differences in males and females scripts. Eric document 345155.

  • Coller, S. A., & Resick, P. A. (1987). Women’s attributions of responsibility for date rape: The influence of empathy and sex-role stereotyping. Violence and Victims, 2, 115–125.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Crome, S. A., & McCabe, M. P. (2001). Adult rape scripting within a victimological perspective. Aggression and Violent Behavior, 6, 395–413.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gagnon, J. H. (1990). The explicit and implicit use of the scripting perspective in sex research. Annual Review of Sex Research, 1, 1–43.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hickman, S. E., & Muehlenhard, C. L. (1997). College women’s fears and precautionary behaviors relating to acquaintance rape and stranger rape. Psychology of Women Quarterly, 21, 527–547.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kahn, A. S. (2004). What college women do and do not experience as rape. Psychology of Women Quarterly, 28, 9–15.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kahn, A. S., Jackson, J., Kully, C, Badger, K., & Halvorsen, J. (2003). Calling it rape: Differences in experiences of women who do or do not label their sexual assault as rape. Psychology of Women Quarterly, 27, 233–242.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kahn, A. S., Mathie, V. A., & Torgler, C. (1994). Rape scripts and rape acknowledgment. Psychology of Women Quarterly, 18, 53–66.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Koss, M. P. (1985). The hidden rape victim: Personality, attitudinal, and situational characteristics. Psychology of Women Quarterly, 9, 193–212.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Koss, M. P., Dinero, T. E., Seible, C. A., & Cox, S. L. (1988). Stranger and acquaintance rape: Are there differences in the victim’s experience? Psychology of Women Quarterly, 12, 1–24.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Koss, M. P., Gidycz, C. A., & Wisniewski, N. (1987). The scope of rape: Incidence and prevalence of sexual aggression and victimization in a national sample of higher education students. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 55, 162–170.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Krahé, B. (1991). Police officers’ definitions of rape: A prototype study. Journal of Community and Applied Social Psychology, 1, 223–244.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kurpius, S. E. R., & Lucart, A. L. (2000). Military and civilian undergraduates: Attitudes toward women, masculinity, and authoritarianism. Sex Roles, 43, 255–265.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lepkoski, L., Clark, M. D., & Khabir, J. (2002, March). Male–female responsibility across a variety of acquaintance rape scripts. Poster presented at the annual meeting of the Eastern Psychological Association, Boston, MA.

  • Littleton, H. L., & Axsom, D. (2003). Rape and seduction scripts of university students: Implications for rape attributions and unacknowledged rape. Sex Roles, 49, 465–475.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lonsway, K. A., & Fitzgerald, L. F. (1994). Rape myths: In review. Psychology of Women Quarterly, 18, 133–164.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Mohler-Kuo, M., Dowdall, G. W., Koss, M. P., & Wechsler, H. (2004). Correlates of rape while intoxicated in a national sample of college women. Journal of Studies on Alcohol, 65, 37–45.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Muehlenhard, C. L. (1988a). Misinterpreted dating behaviors and the risk of date rape. Journal of Social and Clinical Psychology, 6, 20–37.

    Google Scholar 

  • Muehlenhard, C. L. (1988b). “Nice women” don’t say yes and “real men” don’t say no: How miscommunication and the double standard can cause sexual problems. Women & Therapy, 7(2–3), 95–108.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Muehlenhard, C. L., & Linton, M. A. (1987). Date rape and sexual aggression in dating situations: Incidence and risk factors. Journal of Counseling Psychology, 34, 186–196.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Muthén, L. K., & Muthén, B. O. (1998–2005). Mplus user’s guide (3rd ed.). Los Angles, CA: Muthén & Muthén.

    Google Scholar 

  • Osman, S. L., & Davis, C. M. (1999). Belief in token resistance and type of resistance as predictors of men’s perceptions of date rape. Journal of Sex Education and Therapy, 24, 189–196.

    Google Scholar 

  • Peterson, Z., & Muehlenhard, C. L. (2004). Was it rape? The function of women’s rape myth acceptance and definitions of sex in labeling their own experiences. Sex Roles, 51, 129–144.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Riger, S., & Gordon, M. T. (1981). The fear of rape: A study in social control. Journal of Social Issues, 37(4), 71–92.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rohall, D. E., Ender, M. G., & Matthews, M. D. (2006). The effects of military affiliations, gender, and political ideology on attitudes toward the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq. Armed Forces & Society, 33, 59–77.

    Google Scholar 

  • Rose, S., & Frieze, I. H. (1993). Young singles’ contemporary dating scripts. Sex Roles, 28, 499–509.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rozee, P. D., & Koss, M. P. (2001). Rape: A century of resistance. Psychology of Women Quarterly, 25, 295–311.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ryan, K. M. (1988). Rape and seduction scripts. Psychology of Women Quarterly, 12, 237–245.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Schank, R. C., & Abelson, R. P. (1977). Scripts, plans, goals, and understanding: An inquiry into human knowledge structures. Hillsdale, NJ: Erlbaum.

    Google Scholar 

  • Shotland, R. L. (1992). A theory of the causes of courtship rape: Part 2. Journal of Social Issues, 48(1), 127–143.

    Google Scholar 

  • Simon, W., & Gagnon, J. H. (1987). A sexual scripts approach. In J. H. Geer & W. T. O’Donohue (Eds.), Theories of human sexuality (pp. 363–383). New York: Plenum.

    Google Scholar 

  • Simonson, K., & Subich, L. M. (1999). Rape perceptions as a function of gender-role traditionality and victim–perpetrator association. Sex Roles, 40, 617–634.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Tjaden, P., & Thoennes, N. (2000). Full report of the prevalence, incidence, and consequences of violence against women: Findings from the National Violence Against Women Survey [NCJ 183781]. Washington, DC: National Institute of Justice.

    Google Scholar 

  • Warr, M. (1985). Fear of rape among urban woman. Social Problems, 32, 238–250.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgements

The authors would like to thank the following undergraduate students who worked on earlier data collection and helped to inform this project; R. Roscioli, D. Rydzewski, W. McNulty, D. Moser, T. Barber, M. Brown, K. Wooddell, D. Bohenek, M. Duquenne, J. Gallagher, C. Nemeth, and L. Genner. Two graduate students helped with the collection and coding of this data set, Christina Lundy and Krystin Kendricks. Additionally, thanks go to Dr. Adrian Tomer who served as a statistical consultant and to Dr. Martin Noretsky for help with Word Draw. Dr. Angela Bartoli also helped to develop these concepts in conjunction with our work on dating scripts. Portions of this research were funded by a Faculty Research Grant to the first author through the United States Military Academy and the Army Research Institute for the Behavioral and Social Sciences. The opinions of the authors are their own and do not purport to reflect the position of United States Military Academy, Department of the Army, or Department of Defense.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Official Mail and Distribution Center, Department of Behavioral Sciences and Leadership, United States Military Academy, 646 Swift Road, West Point, NY, 10996, USA

    Marjorie H. Carroll

  2. Department of Educational Foundations and Research, Gallaudet University, Washington, DC, USA

    M. Diane Clark

Authors
  1. Marjorie H. Carroll
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. M. Diane Clark
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Marjorie H. Carroll.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Carroll, M.H., Clark, M.D. Men’s Acquaintance Rape Scripts: A Comparison Between a Regional University and a Military Academy. Sex Roles 55, 469–480 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11199-006-9102-3

Download citation

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11199-006-9102-3

Keywords

Search

Navigation