Predictors of College Women’s Prosocial Bystander Intervention: Personal Characteristics, Sexual Assault History and Situational Barriers

Sexual assault is a major issue on college campuses (Fisher, Cullen, & Turner, 2000). Prosocial bystander behavior occurs when bystanders witnessing a potentially dangerous situation positively intervene. Recent research suggests that prosocial bystander behavior, in both men and women, can play a role in the prevention of sexual assault (Banyard, 2007). However, little research focuses on women as bystanders in situations of sexual assault. There are certain situational barriers that make it difficult to engage in prosocial bystander behavior (e.g., failure to notice, failure to identify a situation as high-risk, failure to take intervention responsibility, failure to intervene due to skills deficit, and failure to intervene due to audience inhibition). The current study examined predictors of prosocial bystander behavior, including the role of bystander attitudes and efficacy, personality traits, situational barriers to bystander behavior, and women’s history of sexual assault. In the final regression, positive bystander attitudes were the only significant predictors of bystander intervention behavior, with one situational barrier (failure to intervene due to audience inhibition), marginally related (e.g. when participants were concerned about how an audience would perceive their intervention, or that others would think they looked foolish, they were less likely to intervene).

Name thesis:degree_name

Bachelor of Arts

Level thesis:degree_level

bachelors

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Psychology

Grantor dc:publisher

Ohio University Art and Sciences Honors Theses

Year dc:date

2012

Author dc:creator

• Davidson, Carolyn M.

Contributors dc:contributor

• Gidycz, Christine A.
• Dardis, Christina

• Behavioral Sciences
• Clinical Psychology
• Psychology
• Social Psychology
• Social Research
• sexual assault
• bystander
• intervention
• personality
• characteristics
• assault history
• situational barriers
• social
• women
• college
• predictors
• prosocial
• prosocial behavior
• barriers
• bystander behavior
• research
• regression
• correlation

Statement dc:rights

• unrestricted
• This thesis or dissertation is protected by copyright: all rights reserved. It may not be copied or redistributed beyond the terms of applicable copyright laws.

Language dc:language

English

Repository record dc:identifier

http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=ouashonors1345084267

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:etd.ohiolink.edu:ouashonors1345084267