ERIC Number: EJ913003
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2010
Pages: 16
Abstractor: ERIC
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-0161-6463
EISSN: N/A
Effects of Alcohol Use and Anti-American Indian Attitudes on Domestic-Violence Culpability Decisions for American Indian and Euro-American Actors
Esqueda, Cynthia Willis; Hack, Lori; Tehee, Melissa
American Indian Culture and Research Journal, v34 n4 p61-76 2010
Few studies have focused on the unique issues surrounding American Indian violence. Yet American Indian women are at high risk for domestic abuse, and domestic violence has been identified as the most important issue for American Indians now and in the future by the National Congress of American Indians. American Indian women suffer from domestic abuse at higher rates than other ethnic groups of women, in line with general violence rates against Indians. Unlike other groups of women, American Indian women are more likely to be victimized by someone of another race (that is, non-Indians) rather than by American Indian males. The purpose of this research was to examine whether self-rated anti-American Indian attitudes influence domestic-violence culpability perceptions when the domestic-violence actors' race (American Indian or Euro-American) and alcohol use (intoxicated or not) were varied within a fabricated trial transcript. The authors examined biases by those with anti-American Indian attitudes and developed a scale to measure such bias. They hypothesized that Euro-Americans with higher anti-American Indian attitudes would show bias against American Indians involved in domestic violence, particularly when alcohol had been used, by assigning higher culpability ratings. The findings of this research demonstrated that biases exist in interpretations of domestic violence for American Indian and Euro-American actors. Confirming the authors' hypotheses, in part, there appears to be a culpability bias against American Indian women by those high in bias, and a bias in favor of American Indian woman by those who are low in bias. (Contains 8 tables and 34 notes.)
Descriptors: Family Violence, Females, American Indians, Drinking, Racial Bias, At Risk Persons, Whites, Rating Scales, Court Litigation, Law Enforcement, College Students, Psychology, Student Attitudes
American Indian Studies Center at UCLA. 3220 Campbell Hall, Box 951548, Los Angeles, CA 90095-1548. Tel: 310-825-7315; Fax: 310-206-7060; e-mail: sales@aisc.ucla.edu; Web site: http://www.books.aisc.ucla.edu/aicrj.html
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: Higher Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Identifiers - Location: Nebraska
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A