Prostitution Policies and Attitudes Toward Prostitutes

Area of Science:

• Social Psychology
• Attitude Research
• Sociology of Deviance

Background:

• Understanding societal attitudes toward prostitution is crucial for policy.
• Previous research highlights the complexity of public opinion on sex work.
• The role of perceived agency in shaping attitudes towards prostitutes remains under-explored.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the relationship between regulatory attitudes towards prostitution and the perceived agency of sex workers.
• To examine how moral outrage is influenced by these attitudes and perceptions.
• To explore differences in social perception based on whether prostitutes are viewed as victims or free agents.

Main Methods:

• A quantitative study involving a Spanish sample (N=391, aged 18-53).
• Participants completed a questionnaire assessing regulatory attitudes towards prostitution.
• Two scenarios were used to manipulate the perceived agency of prostitutes (victim vs. free choice), followed by measures of agency attribution and moral outrage.

Main Results:

• A distinct pattern emerged linking regulatory attitudes to social perception based on the prostitute's perceived role (victim vs. free agent).
• Regulatory attitudes were associated with attributions of agency and moral outrage towards sex workers.
• The specific nature of these associations varied depending on the scenario presented.

Conclusions:

• Regulatory attitudes towards prostitution are empirically linked to how sex workers are perceived, including attributions of agency and moral outrage.
• These perceptions are contingent on whether prostitutes are viewed as victims or as individuals making free choices.
• Findings offer insights into the psychological underpinnings of attitudes towards prostitution, with implications for policy development.