Article Abstract:
Four weaknesses are discussed in Thornhill and Thornhill's study. First, the terms 'rape' and 'sexual coercion' are not operationalized and they seem to encompass a continuum of sexual behaviors from mild to brutal. Second, they ignore reported individual differences in the cited studies thus, totally ignoring how developmental processes affect psychological adaptation. Third, by ignoring individual differences, the Thornhills do not view psychological adaptation as a complex interaction between genetic make-up and individual experience. Lastly, information from other species and cultures regarding sexual behavior were not gathered thus, there is no comparative data.
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Article Abstract:
The implications of Thornhill and Thornhill's study is discussed if a sociocultural approach is used. Sociocultural theories of coercive sexuality particularly learning and socialisation were mentioned briefly by the Thornhills, and it is submitted that a purely sociocultural theory is a good alternative to the evolutionary theory. A psychological adaptation theory of rape raises awkward questions on how to reduce the incidence of rape in societies. However, from the point of view of learning and socialisation, it is possible to cultivate rape-free societies by changing cultural values and socialisation processes.
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Article Abstract:
Ther must be a realization that studying behavior and studying psychological mechanisms do not really make a difference. Evolutionary psychologists employ the basic steps that behavioral psychologists use in researching psychological mechanisms. The Thornhills use adaptation in seeking out psychological mechanisms instead of studying behavior. They dismiss the role of behavior in their hypotheses and focus on evolutionary psychology. This approach greatly colors their interpretation of data and the type of hypotheses they generate.
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