Citation

Caputo AA, Brodsky SL, Kemp S. J. Soc. Psychol. 2000; 140(5): 649-660.

Affiliation

Department of Psychology, University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa 35487-0348, USA. Alicia_Caputo@yahoo.com

Copyright

(Copyright © 2000, Informa - Taylor and Francis Group)

DOI

unavailable

PMID

11059211

Abstract

The authors investigated popular understandings of cruelty among 103 undergraduates who identified the cruelest acts that they had experienced vicariously and personally. The authors also examined the reasons that the cited acts were defined as cruel. Results indicated that most of the vicarious cruel acts involved intense aggression or sexual imposition, whereas personally experienced cruelty was milder, frequently consisting of teasing or gossip. Offense, victim, and perpetrator characteristics were all cited as reasons that acts were considered cruel. The authors also investigated gender differences in reported acts and reasons. Future researchers should address the discrepancies between vicarious and personally experienced cruelty. Findings with regard to personal acts also call for links to the literature on callousness and victimization.

Language: en