MODERATING ROLE OF SEXUALLY HARASSED VICTIM' SURFACE-LEVEL CHARACTERISTICS ON THE ASSOCIATION BETWEEN MYTHS AND ATTITUDES TOWARD THE PARTIES INVOLVED

Date

2026-3-10

Author

Düzgün, Meltem

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Aim of the current study was investigating the regulating role of victims' surface-level (i.e., readily observable) characteristics, specifically marital status and headscarf-wearing, on the association between sexual harassment (SH) myth acceptance and attitudes toward the parties involved including victim blaming, protecting the harasser, and attitudes toward the zero-tolerance action taken by Human Resources department. Specifically, moderation effects of victim’s marital status and headscarf-wearing were tested on the mediating role of SH myths between Right-Wing Authoritarianism (RWA) and the three attitudinal outcomes. Within the Turkish cultural context, it was hypothesized that high levels of RWA intensify the endorsement of SH myths, and in return myths’ effects on promoting negative attitudes, particularly toward single women and those who do not wear a headscarf. To address these questions, four studies were conducted. The first three were preliminary studies in which the Illinois Sexual Harassment Myths Acceptance scale was adapted to Turkish, the study materials tested, and the malleability of SH myths were explored. The forth – and main- study (N = 317) was conducted to test the proposed moderated-mediation effects. Accordingly, the relationship between SH myth acceptance and victim blaming was stronger depending on the victim's marital status and headscarf-wearing, and also tended to be stronger in relation to attitudes toward protecting the harasser and the attitudes toward the HR department's decision. Moreover, the results showed that the severity of the incidents may also matter for evaluations.

Subject Keywords

Sexual Harassment, Sexual Harassment Myths, Right-Wing Authoritarianism, Attitudes Toward Sexual Harassment, Victim Blaming

URI

https://hdl.handle.net/11511/118769

Collections

Graduate School of Social Sciences, Thesis