College Women’s Perceptions of Judgements on Aggression and Risk of Intimate Partner Violence Perpetration in Potential Romantic Partners

Purpose This study examined whether female college students could accurately detect unknown male students’ propensity for aggression/intimate partner violence (IPV) perpetration in romantic relationships after viewing their online dating profile, as well as whether individual differences in women’s IPV victimization history or attachment orientation predicted their accuracy. Method Heterosexual adult males ( N = 9, M age = 23.40), selected from a larger sample of N = 41 males, created de-identifiable dating profiles and reported on their history of aggression and IPV perpetration within relationships. Participants ( N = 453 heterosexual adult females, M age = 21.87) then viewed all 9 dating profiles and rated their perception of each male’s level of aggression/IPV perpetration risk (naïve to all other information about the person), as well as reported on their own individual characteristics (attachment, IPV victimization history). Results Female participants were able to discriminate between males at high/medium/low levels of aggression, but were only able to discriminate between males with high/low levels of IPV perpetration history. Attachment orientation predicted the magnitude of participants’ ratings of male aggression: Specifically, females higher in avoidance and lower in anxiety perceived males to be less aggressive. Additionally, participants’ attachment orientation was associated with their accuracy of identifying aggression, such that females higher in attachment anxiety and lower in avoidance were found to overestimate males’ aggression. Participants’ IPV victimization history was unrelated to their ratings of males’ aggression/IPV perpetration risk. Conclusion Attachment, but not IPV perpetration history, impacts females’ perceptions of propensity for IPV risk.