Hypermasculinity and psychosocial development as predictors of potential date-rape perpetration on campus

This study examined the effect of psychosocial development and male role norms on date-rape perpetration in an undergraduate college male population. Rape statistics on U.S. college campuses are alarming. One in four college women surveyed is a victim of rape or attempted rape (Warshaw, 1994). The majority of reported victims and offenders are college age, with rape victimization highest among 16-19 year olds (Warshaw). Psychosocial development is defined as the "increasingly favorable resolution of psychosocial issues" across time (Zuschlag & Whitbourne, 1994, p. 569). Mosher and Sirkin (1984) conceptualized hypermasculinity as a personality trait that predisposes men to engage in behaviors that assert physical power and dominance in interactions. While psychosocial development is shown to increase in college students from freshman year to senior year (Constantinople, 1969), little or no research is devoted to the development and potential change of the construct of hypermasculinity. Even less is known about the relationship, if any, between psychosocial development and hypermasculinity of college males, and the incidence of sexual assault on a college campus.; Differences between lowerclassmen and upperclassmen males were examined in a study that assesses the constructs of hypermasculinity and psychosocial development as indicators of sexual assault perpetration. It was hypothesized that male college seniors and juniors (i.e., upperclassmen) would demonstrate higher levels of psychosocial development than male sophomores and freshmen (i.e., lowerclassmen), as measured by the Inventory of Psychosocial Development (IPD). Conversely, it was also hypothesized that male college seniors and juniors will demonstrate lower levels of hypermasculinity than male sophomores and freshmen as measured by the Male Role Norms Scale (MRNS). Finally, it was predicted that male college seniors and juniors would report less potential for of sexual assault against women than male sophomores and freshmen.; The current results showed both upperclassmen and lowerclassmen to be well-adjusted, such that both groups showed a good degree of psychosocial development and a low degree of adherence to traditional male role norm levels. In addition, there were no significant differences between lowerclassmen and upperclassmen regarding their history, if any, of possible sexual assault perpetration.