School of Psychology

Experience Excellence Studying People


Dr Afroditi Pina

Lecturer in Forensic Psychology

 

Research Interests

My main research interests are focused on sexual violence, gender equality and victimisation. In particular, I have researched rape and the myths that surround it and sexual harassment and how the latter impacts on its victims. I have also researched women’s coping strategies as a response to sexual harassment. I am also interested in emotions and have worked on anger and fear and the particular link between those two emotions and sexual harassment experiences.

Key Publications

Bohner, G., Pina, A., Viki, G.T., & Siebler, F (2010). Using social norms to reduce men's rape proclivity: Perceived rape myth acceptance of out-groups may be more influential than that of in-groups. Psychology, Crime & Law, 16(8) p.671.

Calogero, R. M., Pina, A., Park, L. E., & Rahemtulla, Z (2010). The role of sexual objectification in college women's cosmetic surgery attitudes. Sex Roles DOI: 10.1007/s11199-010-9759-5.

Pina, A., Gannon, T. A. (2010). An overview of the literature on antecedents, perceptions and behavioural consequences of sexual harassment. Journal of Sexual Aggression, 16(3), 1-24.

Pina, A., Gannon, T. A., & Saunders, B. (2009). An overview of the literature on sexual harassment: Perpetrator, theory, and treatment issues. Aggression and Violent Behavior, 14, 126-138.

 

 

Also view these in the Kent Academic Repository
Articles

    Pina, Afroditi and Gannon, T.A. (2010) An overview of the literature on antecedents, perceptions and behavioural consequences of sexual harassment. Journal of Sexual Aggression, iFirst. ISSN 1355-2600.

    Abstract

    The detrimental effects of sexual harassment have been documented in the literature over the past 35 years, and recognized as a serious problem for all working women. In this paper, we review the existing research surrounding the phenomenon of sexual harassment, focusing upon the factors that may facilitate its occurrence.We also provide an overview of the differences in perceptions of what constitutes sexual harassment according to gender, organizational power and context. The negative impact of sexual harassment on its victims is also reviewed. Finally, the relatively new research on victims’ responses to sexual harassment experiences and the link between this work and the stress and coping literature is recognized. Several suggestions are made for future research, policy making and treatment avenues.

    Calogero, R.M. and Pina, A. and Park, L. et al. (2010) The role of sexual objectification in college women’s cosmetic surgery attitudes. Sex Roles, 63 (1-2). pp. 32-41. ISSN 0360-0025.

    Abstract

    This study investigated cosmetic surgery attitudes within the framework of objectification theory. One hundred predominantlyWhite, British undergraduate women completed self-report measures of impression management, global selfesteem, interpersonal sexual objectification, self-surveillance, body shame, and three components of cosmetic surgery attitudes. As expected, each of the objectification theory variables predicted greater consideration of having cosmetic surgery in the future. Also, as expected, sexual objectification and body shame uniquely predicted socialmotives for cosmetic surgery, whereas self-surveillance uniquely predicted intrapersonal motives for cosmetic surgery. These findings suggest that women’s acceptance of cosmetic surgery as a way to manipulate physical appearance can be partially explained by the degree to which they view themselves through the lenses of sexual and self-objectification.

    Gannon, T.A. and Pina, A. (2010) Firesetting: Psychopathology, theory and treatment. Aggression and Violent Behavior: A Review Journal., 15 (3). pp. 224-238. ISSN 1359-1789.

    Abstract

    In this paper, we comprehensively review characteristics of adult firesetters, and the etiological features of firesetting. In particular, we pay attention to contemporary research available as to core traits and psychopathological features required to understand firesetters, and the classificatory systems and etiological theories developed to understand firesetting. This evaluation of contemporary research suggests that clinical knowledge and practice relating to firesetting is extremely underdeveloped relative to other areas of forensicclinical psychology.We conclude that there are very few etiological theories available to guide consulting clinicians in this area, and little information available specifying the exact criminogenic needs associated with firesetters, or how these needs compare to other offender groups. The significant lack of contemporary treatment programs designed to target firesetting behavior is also noted.We conclude by highlighting core areas for future research and treatment progression.

    Bohner, G. and Pina, A. and Viki, G.T. et al. (2010) Using social norms to reduce men's rape proclivity: Perceived rape myth acceptance of out-groups may be more influential than that of in-groups. Psychology, Crime and Law, 16 (8). pp. 671-693. ISSN 1068-316x.

    Abstract

    Feedback about a reference group's rape myth acceptance (RMA) has been shown to affect men's rape proclivity (Bohner, Siebler, & Schmelcher, Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 32, 286–297, 2006). In two experiments with male university students (total N=294), this research was extended by varying the in-group vs out-group status of the reference group. Results showed that feedback about other men's RMA influenced self-reported RMA (Experiment 1) and rape proclivity (Experiments 1 and 2). Overall, participants' rape proclivity was affected by feedback about both in-groups' RMA and out-groups' RMA. The strongest reduction of rape proclivity was produced by low-RMA feedback about an out-group that participants expected to be high in RMA (Experiment 2). Implications for theory and intervention are discussed.

    Pina, A. and Gannon, T.A. and Saunders, B. (2009) An overview of the literature on sexual harassment: Perpetrator, theory, and treatment issues. Aggression and Violent Behavior: A Review Journal., 14 (2). pp. 126-138. ISSN 1359-1789.

    Abstract

    Sexual harassment has been recognized as a serious problem in the literature over the past 30 years. In this paper, we review the existing research surrounding the phenomenon of sexual harassment, paying particular attention to factors of relevance for understanding perpetrators of sexual harassment. We also provide an overview of the perplexing nature of sexual harassment and the various concerns that have surrounded the topic leading to its recognition. The different theoretical perspectives and models of sexual harassment (sociocultural, organizational, sex-role spillover, natural/biological, socio-cognitive, and four-factor) are also considered and reviewed. Finally, lack of empirical evidence and focus on assessment and treatment for harassers is recognized in this paper, and several suggestions are made for future research and treatment avenues relating to the sexual harasser.

    Viki, G.T. and Winchester, L. and Titshall, L. et al. (2006) Beyond secondary emotions: The infrahumanization of outgroups using human-related and animal-related words. Social Cognition, 24 (6). pp. 753-775. ISSN 0278-016X.

    Abstract

    This paper reports four series of studies that examined the infrahumanization effect using a different measure. Across the four studies, we examined whether people would associate their ingroup more with human- (vs. animal-) related words in comparison to outgroups. In Study 1, we used the Implicit Association Test (Greenwald et al., 1998) and found that participants were quicker during the compatible task (when ingroup names and human-related words shared the same response key and outgroup names and animal-related words shared the same response key) in comparison to the incompatible task. Studies 2a and 2b utilized a paper and pencil design and found that participants were more likely to link ingroup names with human-related words in comparison to the outgroup. In Studies 3a and 3b, we found that participants selected human-related words as being more characteristic of the ingroup in general than the outgroup. In Study 4, we used positive and negative words and found that participants were more likely to link human-related words with ingroup (vs. outgroup) names regardless of valence. Results are discussed in relation to their implications for infrahumanization theory.

Book Sections
Conference Items
Total publications in KAR: 16 [See all in KAR]
Information obtained from the Kent Academic Repository. The University of Kent official repository of academic activity.
More information about the Kent Academic Repository

 

Grants

2010-12

Gannon, T.A., Wood, J.L., Pina, A., & Vasquez, E.
Ministry of Justice
Evaluation of the Mandatory Polygraph Pilot

£324, 417

 

Professional Memberships

Graduate Member of The British Psychological Society

Member of the European Association of Experimental Social Psychology (EAESP)

Member of the International Graduate School (IGC)

Member of the European Association of Psychology and Law (EAPL)

School of Psychology
Keynes College
University of Kent
Canterbury, Kent
CT2 7NP
United Kingdom

Email: a.pina@kent.ac.uk

Office Hours: Tuesday and Thursday 3-4pm

 

School of Psychology - Keynes College, University of Kent, Canterbury, Kent CT2 7NP

Tel: +44 (0)1227 824775; Fax: +44 (0)1227 827030 or Email the School

Last Updated: 08/12/2011