Actitudes sociales hacia los delincuentes sexuales y su relación con la orientación a la dominancia social

  1. Claudia Fernández Huelga 1
  2. María de la Villa Moral Jiménez 1
  1. 1 Universidad de Oviedo
    info

    Universidad de Oviedo

    Oviedo, España

    ROR https://ror.org/006gksa02

Journal:
Behavior & Law Journal

ISSN: 2444-4170

Year of publication: 2023

Volume: 9

Issue: 1

Pages: 17-31

Type: Article

DOI: 10.47442/BLJ.2023.96 DIALNET GOOGLE SCHOLAR lock_openOpen access editor

More publications in: Behavior & Law Journal

Abstract

Social attitudes towards sex offenders are subject to the influence of myths or prejudices and offending can be considered asan attack on social hierarchy. The present study relates both constructs: public attitudes and the preference for maintaining a hierarchical society, i.e. social dominance orientation. 322 subjects participated, chosen by a non-probabilistic selection, with ages between 18 and 65 years (M = 32.52, SD = 13.806), to whom scales on attitudes towards sexual offenders and their treatment (ATS-21 and ATTSO) were applied, as well as on social dominance (SDO). People with higher social dominance orientation have more negative attitudes towards sex offenders and their treatment. Men, people with a right-wing political affiliation and religiouspeople score higher on social dominance. These last two groups of people also have the most negative attitudes towards sex offenders, along with women, people with a low level of education and those over 30 years of age. Findings may explain why people may or may not be advocates for the rehabilitation and reintegration of sex offenders depending on certain socio-demographic characteristics and their level of social dominance.

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