A Social Identity Approach to Understanding Responses to Child Sexual Abuse Allegations.
Two studies investigated the role of group allegiances in contributing to the failure of institutions to appropriately respond to allegations of child sexual abuse. In Study 1, 601 participants read a news article detailing an allegation of child sexual abuse against a Catholic Priest. Catholics were more protective of the accused-and more skeptical of the accuser-than other participants, an effect that was particularly pronounced among strongly identified Catholics. In Study 2 (N = 404), the tendency for Catholics to be more protective of the accused and more skeptical of the accuser than non-Catholics was replicated. Moreover, these effects held independently of the objective likelihood that the accused was guilty. Overall, the data show that group loyalties provide a psychological motivation to disbelieve child abuse allegations. Furthermore, the people for whom this motivation is strongest are also the people who are most likely to be responsible for receiving and investigating allegations: highly identified ingroup members. The findings highlight the psychological mechanisms that may limit the ability of senior Church figures to conduct impartial investigations into allegations of child abuse within the Church.
School of Psychology, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia.
Kiara
K
Minto
School of Psychology, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia.
Matthew J
MJ
Hornsey
UQ Business School, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia.
Nicole
N
Gillespie
School of Nursing, Midwifery and Social Work, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia.
Karen
K
Healy
School of Psychology, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia.
Jolanda
J
Jetten
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002410:Catholicism; D002648:Child; D002650:Child Abuse, Sexual; D002977:Clergy; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009042:Motivation; D012933:Social Identification