Denying Psychological Properties of Girls and Prostitutes: The Role of Verbal Insults. (March 2017)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Rubini, Monica; Roncarati, Alessandra; Ravenna, Marcella; Albarello, Flavia; Moscatelli, Silvia; Semin, Gün R.
• Is Part Of: Journal of language and social psychology. Volume 36:Number 2(2017)
• Page Start: 226
• Page End: 240
• Publication Date: 2017-03
• Subjects: language -- verbal insults -- dehumanization -- social judgment; Sociolinguistics -- Periodicals; Psycholinguistics -- Periodicals; 401.905
• DOI: 10.1177/0261927X16645835
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0261-927X

Abstract

This study examines the negative stereotypes of the category of women and their subcategories through the language of insults. Participants produced a list of epithets induced by the same hypothetical scenario in which the protagonist was presented either as a "prostitute" or as a "girl" (i.e., nonprostitute). Findings showed that the prostitute was addressed with taboo-related insults exaggerating sexual behavior, whereas the girl was mainly given warnings and intellectual insults. The implications of these results are discussed in relation to the underlying processes.