When “Good People” Sexually Harass

The Role of Power and Moral Licensing on Sexual Harassment Perceptions and Intentions

Bibliographic Data

ID12004656
AuthorsTuyen K Dinh (0000-0003-0149-5490, Indiana University – Purdue University Indianapolis), Tuyen Dinh (University of Indianapolis), Laurel Mikalouski (Indiana University – Purdue University Indianapolis), Margaret S Stockdale (0000-0002-8770-6465, Indiana University – Purdue University Indianapolis, corresponding author)
Year2022
Volume46
Issue3
Pages278-298
Publication date2022-06-01
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenuePsychology of Women Quarterly (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 0361-6843 • E-ISSN: 1471-6402
PublisherSAGE Publishing (PUBLISHER • US)
DOI10.1177/03616843221099199
OpenAlexW4281675756
LanguageEN
Citations received2
References cited77

History has shown that people who embody responsibility-focused power have been credibly accused of sexual harassment. Drawing from power-approach and moral licensing theories, we present two complementary studies examining how responsibility-focused power triggers moral licensing, which, in turn, decreases perceptions of sexual harassment (Study 1) and increases intentions to engage in sexual harassment (Study 2). In Study 1, 365 participants read a scenario of a man embodying responsibility-focused power, self-focused power, or low power (control) and then read a case about the man’s alleged sexual harassment against a subordinate. Findings illustrated that moral crediting mediated the effect of power construal on false accusation judgments. In Study 2, 250 participants were primed to experience responsibility-focused power or low power. Responsibility-focused power increased sexual harassment intentions through effects on communal feelings and moral crediting. Based on these findings, we develop a new theoretical perspective on why sexual harassment occurs and why people deny perceiving it. We provide practical recommendations to organizational leaders for developing interventions, such as training, that may disrupt effects of power and moral licensing on sexual harassment intentions. We also encourage public discourse on the harms of harassment that supposed “good people” commit

False accusation · Feeling · Harassment · Perception · Power (physics · Psychological intervention · Gender, Security, and Conflict · Psychology · Sexual Assault and Victimization Studies · Social and Intergroup Psychology · Social Psychology

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Open DOIOpen Access