Unveiling Bias: The Impact of Male Rape Myths and Stereotypes on Juror Verdicts in Male‐on‐Male Rape Trials

StatusVoR
Simple item page
cris.lastimport.scopus2026-07-07T03:19:06Z
dc.abstract.enThis study examined how male rape myths, racial/ethnicity biases, and sexuality stereotypes influence verdicts in male-on-male rape trials—an area that is currently under-researched. A sample of 463 participants read a mock rape trial, where both the defendant and complainant were male, with defendant ethnicity (White, Black, Asian) and complainant sexuality (homosexual, heterosexual) manipulated across conditions. Participants completed the Male Rape Myth Acceptance Scale (MRMAS) before the trial and the Juror Decision Scale (JDS) afterwards. Results showed that defendant and complainant believability (subscales of the JDS) mediated the relationship between rape myth acceptance and verdicts, indicating that pre-trial biases shape jurors' story formation and verdict-making. Qualitative data demonstrates divergent narrative logics between high and low MRMA participants. Further, it was also found that both defendant ethnicity and complainant sexuality did not significantly influence verdicts. Findings highlight how underlying biases affect juror judgements and underscore the implications of this research are considered in the context of jury-reform initiatives already underway across the UK. Limitations and future research discussed within.
dc.affiliationWydział Psychologii we Wrocławiu
dc.contributor.authorCurley, Lee J.
dc.contributor.authorWidanaralalage, B. Kennath
dc.contributor.authorWillmott, Dominic
dc.contributor.authorErmenkova, Joanna
dc.date.access2026-06-08
dc.date.accessioned2026-06-10T06:39:34Z
dc.date.available2026-06-10T06:39:34Z
dc.date.created2026-01-16
dc.date.issued2026-06-08
dc.description.abstract<jats:title>ABSTRACT</jats:title> <jats:p>This study examined how male rape myths, racial/ethnicity biases, and sexuality stereotypes influence verdicts in male‐on‐male rape trials—an area that is currently under‐researched. A sample of 463 participants read a mock rape trial, where both the defendant and complainant were male, with defendant ethnicity (White, Black, Asian) and complainant sexuality (homosexual, heterosexual) manipulated across conditions. Participants completed the Male Rape Myth Acceptance Scale (MRMAS) before the trial and the Juror Decision Scale (JDS) afterwards. Results showed that defendant and complainant believability (subscales of the JDS) mediated the relationship between rape myth acceptance and verdicts, indicating that pre‐trial biases shape jurors' story formation and verdict‐making. Qualitative data demonstrates divergent narrative logics between high and low MRMA participants. Further, it was also found that both defendant ethnicity and complainant sexuality did not significantly influence verdicts. Findings highlight how underlying biases affect juror judgements and underscore the implications of this research are considered in the context of jury‐reform initiatives already underway across the UK. Limitations and future research discussed within.</jats:p>
dc.description.accesstimeat_publication
dc.description.issue3
dc.description.physical407–424
dc.description.sdgQualityEducation
dc.description.sdgGenderEquality
dc.description.sdgReducedInequalities
dc.description.sdgPeaceJusticeAndStrongInstitutions
dc.description.versionfinal_published
dc.description.volume44
dc.identifier.doi10.1002/bsl.70044
dc.identifier.eissn1099-0798
dc.identifier.issn0735-3936
dc.identifier.urihttps://share.swps.edu.pl/handle/swps/2394
dc.identifier.weblinkhttps://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/bsl.70044
dc.languageen
dc.pbn.affiliationpsychologia
dc.rightsCC-BY
dc.rights.questionYes_rights
dc.share.articleOTHER
dc.subject.enjuror decision‐making
dc.subject.enmale rape myths
dc.subject.enracial bias
dc.subject.enracial biases
dc.subject.ensexuality stereotypes
dc.subject.enstory model
dc.swps.sciencecloudsend
dc.titleUnveiling Bias: The Impact of Male Rape Myths and Stereotypes on Juror Verdicts in Male‐on‐Male Rape Trials
dc.title.journalBehavioral Sciences and the Law
dc.typeJournalArticle
dspace.entity.typeArticle