Why People Justify Violence: The Role of Motivational Foundations in Rape Myths Acceptance

The purpose of this study was to examine the role of existential, epistemic, and relational motivational foundations in the enactment of rape myths. The online study empirically tested a model in which motivational foundations were included as predictors, rape myth acceptance as dependent variables, socio-demographic characteristics (gender, education, and income level) - control variables. A total of 739 Russian residents (381 men and 358 women) aged 18 to 79 years (M=36.8, SD=11.5) participated in the online study. Participants were asked to complete questionnaires to measure need for cognitive closure, belief in a dangerous and competitive world, fear of death, shared reality, and acceptance of rape myths. Structural equation modeling showed that the most significant contribution in the support of the rape myth is made by the need for order (epistemic motivational foundations) and belief in a competitive world (existential motivational foundations). The current research shed light on the main motivational foundations of the rape myth acceptance that might be used in the social programs to reduce tolerance towards violence.