Two studies were conducted that explored observers' perceptions of responsibility of a victim for her involvement in a premeditated crime. Male and female college students listened to tapes of a purported victim describing a crime (either a rape or a mugging). There was general tendency toward a sympathetic reaction pattern. (Author)

The proposition that actors favor environmental attribution and observers personal attribution was investigated. Psychology students attributed causality from two perspectives for verbally-described behaviors. It was concluded that motivational considerations mediated actor-observer differences and that perspective differences represent a…

Subjects rated an individual described as either male or female, white or native Indian who chose an upwardly or downwardly mobile occupation (teacher or store clerk). Female characters were rated less likely to succeed. Male subjects were more surprised at male, but not female, character's choice of downwardly mobile career. (Author)

Male and female subjects (N=186) participated in a simulated jury experiment in which race of the victim, race of the defendant, and amount of evidence against the defendant were varied. Results indicated racial similarity of the defendant and/or victim to subject jurors influenced levels of negative traits attributed to the defendant. (Author)