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Initial courtship behavior and stalking: how should we draw the line?
1University of Minnesota, USA.
Violence and Victims
|September 6, 2000
Summary
Distinguishing courtship from stalking is difficult. This study surveyed individuals experiencing unrequited love, identifying six behavior patterns. Intimidation emerged as a key indicator differentiating courtship from stalking.
Area of Science:
- Psychology
- Criminology
- Sociology
Background:
- Stalking behavior is difficult to define and study due to blurred boundaries with normal courtship.
- Unrequited love can lead to obsessive behaviors, necessitating research into the transition from courtship to stalking.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the behaviors and feelings associated with unrequited love.
- To identify behavioral patterns that differentiate courtship from stalking.
Main Methods:
- Surveyed 197 women and 44 men at the University of Pittsburgh regarding their responses to unrequited love.
- Utilized factor analysis to categorize courtship behaviors.
- Correlated feelings (anger, depression) with violent behaviors.
Main Results:
- Identified six behavioral groupings: approach, surveillance, intimidation, self-harm, verbal/mild physical abuse, and extreme physical harm.
- Men reported using approach behaviors more frequently; other behaviors showed no significant gender differences.
- Anger and depression predicted violent behavior in both genders.
- Intimidation was perceived by pursuers as eliciting fear in the love interest.
Conclusions:
- Pursuers' perceptions of acceptable relationship pursuit are unreliable.
- Intimidation is a critical behavior that signals the line between courtship and stalking.
- Recognizing fear in the love interest is crucial for identifying stalking behavior.
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