Computer harassment paradigm

Question 1

What methodology was used?

Answer 1

• Two lab experiments were conducted using the computer harassment paradigm.
• Male uni students were exposed to different types of identity threat or no threat and were then given the opportunity to send pornographic material to a virtual female interaction partner.

Question 2

What is the dependent variable in the study?

Answer 2

gender harassment behaviour: extent to which participants engaged in harassing behaviour toward virtual F interaction partner

Question 3

What was the independent variable in the study?

Answer 3

social identity threats: legitimacy threat, distinctiveness threat, prototypicality threat

Question 4

What is legitimacy threat?

Answer 4

participants led to believe their male identity was not legitimate

Question 5

What is distinctiveness threat?

Answer 5

participants led to believe their male identity was not different from other identities

Question 6

What is prototypicality threat?

Answer 6

participants led to believe their male identity was not prototypical within their group

Question 7

How did authors control the independent variable?

Answer 7

ensured that participants only experienced one type of threat during the experiment

Question 8

How were participants assigned to diff conditions?

Answer 8

random assignment to each threats and a control group