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Personality inferences drawn about abusive mothers
1Department of Psychology and Sociology, Angelo State University, San Angelo, Texas 76909, USA.
Psychological Reports
|October 1, 1995
Summary
People infer negative personality traits in mothers accused of child abuse. These perceptions of abusive mothers differ significantly from those of non-abusive mothers, impacting social judgments.
Area of Science:
- Psychology
- Social Psychology
- Child Development
Background:
- Societal perceptions of mothers can be influenced by accusations of child abuse.
- Understanding these perceptions is crucial for addressing the social dynamics surrounding abusive mothers.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the personality inferences drawn about mothers accused of child abuse.
- To compare these inferences with perceptions of non-abusive mothers.
Main Methods:
- 287 subjects viewed videotapes of female targets.
- Subjects were primed to believe targets had physically abused or neglected their child, or were unprimed.
- Participants rated target personalities and social behaviors.
Main Results:
- Abuse-primed groups showed significantly different personality ratings compared to the control group on 10 of 17 traits.
- Perceptions of social behaviors also differed significantly for abuse groups.
- Both physical abuse and neglect accusations led to distinct personality inferences.
Conclusions:
- Preconceived notions about child abuse significantly shape personality judgments of mothers.
- These findings highlight the social biases affecting perceptions of abusive mothers.
- Understanding these biases may inform therapeutic interventions for abusive mothers.