TY - JOUR
T1 - Attachment and personality predicts engagement in sexual harassment by male and female college students
AU - Ménard, Kim S.
AU - Shoss, Naomi E.
AU - Pincus, Aaron L.
PY - 2010
Y1 - 2010
N2 - The purpose of this study was to examine a trait model of personality (Five-Factor Model) as a mediator of the relationship between attachment styles and sexually harassing behavior in a sample of male (N = 148) and female (N = 278) college students. We found that gender (male) and low Agreeableness predicted engaging in sexual harassment and all three of its subtypes; gender harassment, unwanted sexual attention, and sexual coercion. Further, low Conscientiousness predicted overall sexual harassment, gender harassment, and unwanted sexual attention. Personality traits mediated the relationship between insecure attachment styles (Preoccupation with Relationships and Relationships as Secondary) and sexually harassing behaviors. Thus, factors beyond gender can help predict students' propensity to sexually harass others.
AB - The purpose of this study was to examine a trait model of personality (Five-Factor Model) as a mediator of the relationship between attachment styles and sexually harassing behavior in a sample of male (N = 148) and female (N = 278) college students. We found that gender (male) and low Agreeableness predicted engaging in sexual harassment and all three of its subtypes; gender harassment, unwanted sexual attention, and sexual coercion. Further, low Conscientiousness predicted overall sexual harassment, gender harassment, and unwanted sexual attention. Personality traits mediated the relationship between insecure attachment styles (Preoccupation with Relationships and Relationships as Secondary) and sexually harassing behaviors. Thus, factors beyond gender can help predict students' propensity to sexually harass others.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=78651357779&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=78651357779&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1891/0886-6708.25.6.770
DO - 10.1891/0886-6708.25.6.770
M3 - Article
C2 - 21287966
AN - SCOPUS:78651357779
SN - 0886-6708
VL - 25
SP - 770
EP - 786
JO - Violence and victims
JF - Violence and victims
IS - 6
ER -