Decision Making Related to Situations When Sexual Violence Might Occur
Location
Session 2 (Room 1302)
Session Format
Oral Presentation
Your Campus
Statesboro Campus- Henderson Library, April 20th
Academic Unit
Department of Psychology
Research Area Topic:
Humanities & Social Sciences - Psychology, Sociology & Political Science
Co-Presenters and Faculty Mentors or Advisors
Jonathan E. Friedel, Ph.D., Faculty Mentor
Sydney Evans, Undergraduate Student, Department of Psychology
Katilyn Ashley Treem, Undergraduate Student, Department of Psychology
Abstract
Understanding human behavior is essential in identifying the underlying behavioral processes in sexual violence. Sexual violence continues to be endemic among young adults, typically college aged. These young adults engage in more risky sexual behaviors, such as having multiple partners and having unprotected sex, than other age groups. Previous studies have examined decision making and delayed discounting as it relates to hypothetical sexual outcomes. Researchers have found that delay discounting (the preference for immediate rewards rather than prolonged) is important for understanding sexual decision making. Using the Sexual Discounting Task as an apparatus for this assessment, researchers discovered that participants discounted more for partners they were more sexually attracted to than those to which they were least attracted. Delay discounting tasks concerning sexual outcomes has been proven to be reliably associated to sexual risk behavior. Previous research has only considered these factors to examine a participant’s decision making regarding sexual outcomes but has omitted the element of potential violence. It has yet been analyzed participant’s decision making regarding hypothetical conditions in which sexual violence might occur. My research will consist of participants answering questions based on hypothetical scenarios given the different likelihood of sexual violence occurring. Limitations to this study include having participants answer hypothetical questions oppose to having to make these decisions with real consequences. It is possible that the responses given by participants do not accurately reflect the actual decisions that participants would make if the consequences were real. Conducting this research will add to the growing field of literature on decision making regarding sexual outcomes.
Program Description
The Master of Science program in Experimental Psychology is about producing graduate students who are knowledgeable in specific content areas of scientific psychology as well as skilled in conducting independent research. With an experimental focus, students will complete a combination of coursework and collaboration with faculty on research.
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
Presentation Type and Release Option
Presentation (File Not Available for Download)
Start Date
4-20-2022 1:00 PM
End Date
4-20-2022 2:00 PM
Recommended Citation
Slaem, Shakeia; Friedel, Jonathan E.; Evans, Sydney; and Treem, Katilyn A., "Decision Making Related to Situations When Sexual Violence Might Occur" (2022). GS4 Georgia Southern Student Scholars Symposium. 61.
https://digitalcommons.georgiasouthern.edu/research_symposium/2022/2022/61
Decision Making Related to Situations When Sexual Violence Might Occur
Session 2 (Room 1302)
Understanding human behavior is essential in identifying the underlying behavioral processes in sexual violence. Sexual violence continues to be endemic among young adults, typically college aged. These young adults engage in more risky sexual behaviors, such as having multiple partners and having unprotected sex, than other age groups. Previous studies have examined decision making and delayed discounting as it relates to hypothetical sexual outcomes. Researchers have found that delay discounting (the preference for immediate rewards rather than prolonged) is important for understanding sexual decision making. Using the Sexual Discounting Task as an apparatus for this assessment, researchers discovered that participants discounted more for partners they were more sexually attracted to than those to which they were least attracted. Delay discounting tasks concerning sexual outcomes has been proven to be reliably associated to sexual risk behavior. Previous research has only considered these factors to examine a participant’s decision making regarding sexual outcomes but has omitted the element of potential violence. It has yet been analyzed participant’s decision making regarding hypothetical conditions in which sexual violence might occur. My research will consist of participants answering questions based on hypothetical scenarios given the different likelihood of sexual violence occurring. Limitations to this study include having participants answer hypothetical questions oppose to having to make these decisions with real consequences. It is possible that the responses given by participants do not accurately reflect the actual decisions that participants would make if the consequences were real. Conducting this research will add to the growing field of literature on decision making regarding sexual outcomes.
