University of Twente Student Theses
The dynamics of crime seriousness and victims' preference to participate in online and offline victim-offender mediation
Kahl, K. (2022) The dynamics of crime seriousness and victims' preference to participate in online and offline victim-offender mediation.
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| Abstract: | Despite the success rate regarding Victim-offender mediation (VOM), many still refuse to participate, especially individuals who experienced a traumatic event tend to be reluctant towards it. This study will therefore investigate the influence of crime seriousness and victims’ preference to participate in different VOM forms, getting a better insight into how to improve participation rates. It was expected that participants in the major (but not minor) condition would prefer online VOM over offline (indirect) mediation, due to the perception of more safety and the increased importance of fluentness and richness in communication, for them. To test this, a total of 50 participants answered a questionnaire to measure their willingness to participate in online and offline (indirect) VOM forms (face-to-face, video calling, video messaging, letter, and shuttle mediation). The manipulation of crime seriousness, defined by harmfulness and wrongfulness, was administered and worked as intended. Participants were randomly assigned to either the minor crime condition, where they had to imagine a less serious event, or the major crime condition, imagining a more serious event. The results indicated no support for the hypotheses. Interestingly though, a significant positive association was observed between harmfulness and video messaging mediation willingness to participate and perceived safety in video messaging, which does converge with the idea that perceived safety of communication is more important for those that think about a more harmful event. Additionally, a significant positive association between general seriousness and video messaging mediation willingness to participate in VOM was observed, in line with the expectations. |
| Item Type: | Essay (Bachelor) |
| Faculty: | BMS: Behavioural, Management and Social Sciences |
| Subject: | 77 psychology |
| Programme: | Psychology BSc (56604) |
| Link to this item: | https://purl.utwente.nl/essays/90937 |
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