GENDER IDENTITY AND ADVERSARIAL SEXUAL BELIEFS AS PREDICTORS OF ATTITUDES TOWARD SEXUAL HARASSMENT

The present study replicates the work of Konrad and Gutek (1986) withi n a college sample and extends their work by examining the impact of g ender identity and adversarial sexual beliefs as predictors of attitud es toward sexual harassment. One hundred seven college students indica ted specific aspects of their direct experiences with sexual harassmen t and then completed several attitudinal measures. Endorsement of adve rsarial sexual beliefs and experience with sexual harassment significa ntly predict negative (less tolerant) attitudes toward sexual harassme nt for male respondents. Strong gender group identity and the endorsem ent of adversarial sexual beliefs significantly predicted negative (le ss tolerant) attitudes toward sexual harassment for female students. I mplications for the focus of intervention strategies within an academi c environment are discussed.