Journal of Psychology & Behavioral Science

Sentence Determination as a Function of Sex Offender Gender
Kyle Gamache, Matt C. Zaitchik, Judith Platania, Willem Pontbriand

Abstract
The current study examines perceptions of dangerousness and sentencing recommendations for female sex offenders (FSOs) compared to male sex offenders (MSOs). Participants (N = 82) were randomly assigned to read one of three vignettes depicting a sexual offense committed by a male, female, or male-female co-defendant pair. Key individual difference variables—Need for Cognition (NFC) and Gender Role Beliefs (GRB)—were assessed to examine their influence on sentencing and attributional judgments. NFC emerged as a significant moderator: participants with low NFC assigned longer sentences to FSOs, whereas high NFC participants gave longer sentences to MSOs. Participants endorsing traditional gender role beliefs were more likely to attribute the FSO’s offending to external factors such as mental illness, substance abuse, and criminal history, relative to those with nontraditional beliefs. These findings highlight the complex interaction between cognitive style, gender norms, and offender sex in shaping legal decision-making and perceptions of culpability.

Full Text: PDF     DOI: 10.15640/jpbs.v13p4