Date of Award
2000
Degree Type
Thesis
Degree Name
Master of Arts in Psychology
Department
Psychology
First Advisor
Bernice Lott
Abstract
The purpose of this study was to examine the descriptors used to describe victims and alleged perpetrators in recent articles about rape trials and sexual assault trials in popular U.S. magazines to determine whether they were significantly different in connotative meaning as perceived by the respondents. Forty-four articles were examined for descriptors. The ten most commonly used descriptors for the victims and the ten most commonly used descriptors for the alleged perpetrators were then rated on Osgood's semantic differential by 107 undergraduates from the University of Rhode Island. Results showed that descriptors for the victims and alleged perpetrators were found to be significantly different on the three semantic factors of evaluation, potency, and activity. Descriptors used to describe the victims were judged as connoting less favorability, less potency, and less activity than those used to describe the alleged perpetrators. These words may affect the way in which victims and perpetrators are perceived by their readers.
Recommended Citation
Chorbajian, Laura B., "A Study of Language Used in Magazine Reports of Rape and Sexual Assault Trials" (2000). Open Access Master's Theses. Paper 1617.
https://digitalcommons.uri.edu/theses/1617
Terms of Use
All rights reserved under copyright.