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Sharon Lamb

University of Massachusetts, Boston, Counseling and School Psychology, Faculty Member

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Pennsylvania State University

The University of Texas at Austin

Arizona State University

Nancy Eisenberg

Arizona State University

Nanmathi Manian

University Research Co.

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University of Crete

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Barry Zakireh, Ph.D.

University of Pennsylvania

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Papers by Sharon Lamb

Early Responsivity to Moral Events: Physiological and Behavioral Correlates?

This study investigated toddlers' reactions to morally related events to determine whether age wa... more This study investigated toddlers' reactions to morally related events to determine whether age was a factor in emotional reaction, whether the middle of the second year was a salient time for the emergence of emotional reactions to such events, and whether heart rate change could be used as a new measure of moral responsivity. While their heart rate was being monitored by an electrocardiograph machine, 51 toddlers aged 14 to 21 months were presented with three kinds of morally related events: (1) a prohibition to touch a certain object; (2) a distress cry from the experimenter who pretended to lose something important; and (3) a request to violate a standard, such as a request to spill juice on the floor. Toddlers' emotional responsivity to these events was measured by their heart =ate changes, facial expressions, and latency to touch an object presented after the prohibited object. Although no clear relationship between heart rate and other measures of emotional responsivity and no clear age trends were found, those toddlers whose heart rates accelerated after the prohibition were less likely than other toddlers to touch the object that was presented after the prohibited object. Negative affect after the prohibition was expressed the older age groups significantly more frequently than in the younger groups. (MDM)

Sexualization of Girls: Addressing Criticism of the APA Report, Presenting New Evidence

SAGE Open, Jul 1, 2019

In 2007, the American Psychological Association's Task Force (APA TF) on the Sexualization of Gir... more In 2007, the American Psychological Association's Task Force (APA TF) on the Sexualization of Girls published its report. It continues to be the most downloaded report on the APA website and at the time brought an empirical focus to what was just becoming a national conversation . The Task Force first defined sexualization: a person's value comes only from his or her sexual appeal or behavior, to the exclusion of other characteristics; a person is held to a standard that equates physical attractiveness (narrowly defined) with being sexy; a person is sexually objectified-that is, made into a thing for others' sexual use, rather than seen as a person with the capacity for independent action and decision making; and/or l sexuality is inappropriately imposed upon a person. (APA TF on the Sexualization of Girls, 2007, p. 1) The Task Force then collected evidence, both anecdotal and empirical, for the sexualization of girls. It separated research that presented evidence for exposure to sexualizing material from research that found consequences to girls, boys, and the general public. Finally, it made recommendations with regard to prevention that was based on the literature that was available and practice known to the psychologists contributing to the report. One of the recommendations was for continued and focused empirical research and this update, 10 years later, shows how researchers heeded this call. Soon after the report was released, critical responses emerged (Duschinsky, 2013a(Duschinsky, , 2013b;;. One criticism of the report came from those who believed the risk focus contributed to a renewed moral panic about female sexuality in general and positioned girls as vulnerable or helpless, thus reinforcing age old stereotypes (e.g., Duschinsky, 2013aDuschinsky, , 2013b;;. Some of these critics wanted to see girls represented in the report as greater agents in their own sexual development. A second criticism focused on the research presented which did not cover or draw many conclusions about sexualization and its effects on girls of color or LGBT girls (e.g., . A third criticism also focused on the participants of the research studies cited, in that the report too often extrapolated from research on adults to make comments about girls and adolescents or used research on adolescents to make comments about girls (e.g., . These criticisms continue to be worthy of consideration. Thus, in addition to carrying out an update that reviews evidence for sexualization and potential deleterious effects of sexualization on girls and boys, we explore whether the 881024S GOXXX10.

Porn as a Pathway to Empowerment? A Response to Peterson’s Commentary

Sex Roles, Mar 1, 2010

In my article on the idealization of female adolescent sexuality, I raised questions for feminist... more In my article on the idealization of female adolescent sexuality, I raised questions for feminist theorists and researchers about our theorizing about "desire", "pleasure", and "subjectivity". Zoe Peterson's commentary on this article responds to one of 5 critical points I make, that the description of the ideal sexual adolescent who feels pleasure, desire, and subjectivity may be ironically similar to the commodified, sexualized, marketed teen girl. Here I correct some misrepresentations of my point of view in Peterson's commentary and reply to first her warning that to interpret girls differently than they interpret themselves is akin to dismissing their voices and second to her idea that a porn-influenced expression of sexuality can be seen as a step in the direction of sexual empowerment.

Treating sexually abused children: Issues of blame and responsibility

American Journal of Orthopsychiatry, Apr 1, 1986

It is proposed that clinicians refrain from telling sexually abused children that the experience ... more It is proposed that clinicians refrain from telling sexually abused children that the experience of abuse was &amp;amp;amp;amp;quot;not their fault,&amp;amp;amp;amp;quot; since such well-intentioned assurances can diminish the sense of power and control that the children may feel in addition to their guilt. Affirming children&amp;amp;amp;amp;#39;s sense of power rather than their status as victims may have future benefits for them and for their own children.

Rape Victims in Court: Balancing Stereotypes, Identity, and Justice

Psychology of Women Quarterly, Sep 1, 2008

privilege, and equality are never addressed, and feminist theorists and perspectives receive spec... more privilege, and equality are never addressed, and feminist theorists and perspectives receive specific attention in only three pages throughout the text. An additional problem is the separated discussion of Roberts’s Seven-Stage Crisis Intervention Model and his Woman-Battering Continuum; his two models appear in almost every chapter throughout the book. The theoretical models presented are very limited, with little coverage of other models in the field. Furthermore, the book is theoretically rooted solely in cognitive and cognitive-behavioral approaches. This volume would have been strengthened by either inclusion of additional theoretical approaches or a specific framing of the text as one primarily aligned with cognitive and cognitivebehavioral theories. In addition, greater attention to treatment evaluation and programmatic assessment of interventions, as well as inclusion of prevention efforts, would have strengthened the text. Finally, in comparison to other books, it is unclear how this text is markedly different from a 2002 book edited by Roberts, titled Handbook of Domestic Violence Intervention Strategies: Policies, Programs, and Legal Remedies. In terms of more feminist-based scholarship in this area, interested readers may choose Hamel and Nicholls’s edited text, Family Interventions in Domestic Violence: A Handbook of Gender-Inclusive Theory and Treatment. Nevertheless, because of the continued high incidence of interpersonal relationship violence and violence within families, books like Battered Women and Their Families are always quite timely and will likely be well received. Overall, Roberts provides a foundational read with his compilation, Battered Women and Their Families: Intervention Strategies and Treatment Programs. The book is likely useful for those early in their exposure to domestic violence and treatment strategies.

Developing through relationships: Origins of communication, self, and culture. Fogel Alan. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1993

Applied Psycholinguistics, Apr 1, 1995

Shock and Arggghhh: More Notes From the Trenches of the War Against the Sexualization of Childhood

Psyccritiques, 2009

Women, Abuse, and Forgiveness: A Special Case

Oxford University Press eBooks, Jun 20, 2002

... Before forgiving: Cautionary views of forgiveness in psychotherapy. Lamb, Sharon. Lamb, Sharo... more

Adolescent Girls’ Sexual Empowerment: Two Feminists Explore the Concept

Sex Roles, May 11, 2011

Although all feminists tend to value empowered female sexuality, feminists often disagree, someti... more Although all feminists tend to value empowered female sexuality, feminists often disagree, sometimes heatedly so, about the definition of and path to empowered sexuality among adolescent girls. In this theoretical paper, two feminists, who have previously expressed differing perspectives regarding adolescent girls' sexual empowerment (Lamb 2010a, b; Peterson 2010), discuss their disagreements and attempt to find some common ground in their viewpoints on girls' sexuality. A critical question related to sexual empowerment is whether empowerment includes a subjective sense of efficacy, desire, and pleasure. In other words, are girls sexually empowered if they feel that they are empowered? The authors identify three themes that make answering this question particularly challenging-age differences, exposure to sexualized media, and the pressure to please a partner. Despite these challenges, the authors identify several points of consensus, including agreeing that adequate sexuality education and media literacy education are vital to optimizing adolescent girls' sexual empowerment.

The Secret Lives of Girls: What Good Girls Really Do--Sex Play, Aggression, and Their Guilt

... over again. The raucous, in-your-face teen sexuality of today is not a sexuality that leaves ... more

Sexualized Innocence

Journal of Media Psychology, 2009

The present study tested the hypothesis that viewing images of women posed as sexy young girls ca... more The present study tested the hypothesis that viewing images of women posed as sexy young girls can lead to greater acceptance of child sexual abuse myths. Sixty-five participants were randomly assigned to three groups: the control group who viewed “Nature” ads, the “Sexy Adult” group who viewed ads of adult women, and the “Sexy Child” group who viewed advertisements of women posed as sexy young girls. It was predicted that participants who viewed advertisements of women posed as sexy young girls would score higher on the Child Sexual Abuse Myth Scale (CSAM; Collings, 1997 ) than participants in the two other groups. The hypothesis was not supported; however participants who saw ads of any women scored significantly higher on the CSAM Scale than those who viewed nature ads.

The Emergence of Morality in the Second Year of Life

In a study of children's moral development, four toddlers and their mothers were observed at home... more In a study of children's moral development, four toddlers and their mothers were observed at home approximately every three weeks when toddlers were 13-23 months of age. Six behavioral signs of children's awareness of standards were coded: (1) proud looks, achievement smiles, statements of accomplishment; (2) awareness of, interest in, and exclamations about flawed objects and discrepant events; (3) awareness of a violation; (4) awareness that something was potentially harmful; (5) use of moral vocabulary, use of labels such as "good," "bad," or "yucky," and questioning or reciting of a rule; and (6) saying "Uh-oh" in response to accidents or with no evident reference. Mothers' remarks related to achievement, discrepancy, transgression, and empathy were coded. All four children showed peaks in signs between 17 and 18 months, and first displayed empathy between 16 and 19 months. Patterns of maternal communications followed the changes in children's behaviors. A class of behavior that was a]most completely free of maternal input was interest in flawed objects and discrepant events. After 17 months, children were able to infer wrongdoing and another person's intentions. A major increase in use of internal state words occurred around the time of the peak in awareness of standards. Data suggest that early signs of moral concern may depend more on maturational than on socialization processes. About 90 references are cited. (RH)

LGBTQ for the PreK-12 Set: A Guide to Navigating Gender and Sexual Diversity in Schools

Sex Roles, Jan 25, 2013

Media Effects and the Sexualization of Girls

Sex Roles, Oct 7, 2008

It's tempting as an academic, when reading a book clearly written for the layperson, to pick... more

IV. Sexual Tensions in Girls’ Friendships

Feminism & Psychology, Aug 1, 2004

Girlhood sexuality is one aspect of girlhood that has been suppressed or that has developed outsi... more

Problematizing Consent Campaigns in the #METOO Era

Gender and Women's Studies, 2021

The increasing prevalence of campus sexual assault begs the question of whether consent campaigns... more The increasing prevalence of campus sexual assault begs the question of whether consent campaigns, and interventions that preceded them, may be effectively paying lip service to this issue rather that creating meaningful reform. In this paper, we focus on poster campaigns that promote consent as a solution to campus sexual assault. We begin by reviewing the various definitions and critiques of consent. Our sample of 194 posters was obtained through Google and Pinterest searches on various search terms (e.g. “university consent sexual.”) Using Willig’s (2013) 6 Stages of Discourse Analysis that leads the researcher through discursive constructions, positioning, discourses, subjectivities, action orientations, and practices, we discuss themes and discourses around the idea that consent is simple; that women are to be strong sexual agents; that sex requires a conversation; and that onlookers must be responsible citizens. The first three of these discourses reveal a neoliberal perspecti...

Book Review:The Trouble with Blame: Victims, Perpetrators, and Responsibility. Sharon Lamb

Ethics, 1997

“Normal” childhood sexual play and games: Differentiating play from abuse

Child Abuse & Neglect, 1993

The Psychology of Condemnation: Underlying Emotions and their Symbolic Expression in Condemning and Shaming

Brooklyn law review, 2003

It is not so difficult for the general public, along with many a philosopher, to distinguish betw... more It is not so difficult for the general public, along with many a philosopher, to distinguish between judging and condemning. Roger Wertheimer reminds us that abstaining from judgment is not an option for human beings. 1 While lawyers, philosophers and psychologists alike would agree that the cognitive act of judging is integral to moral practice in any culture, condemning, its emotional sister, may be even more profoundly connected to morality. Judgments are anchored by social standards of behavior, which may shift by way of changes in time and differences in place. In contrast, condemnation is more unpredictable and less controllable, stemming as easily from an emotional impulse as from an awareness that someone has violated an important social norm. Dan Kahan argues that emotional impulse always underlies judging and we fool ourselves to think otherwise. 2 He suggests that an affect-laden perception arrives on the scene before cognition kicks in and that all subsequent doctrine conforms to it. He even goes so far as to argue that the law cannot be based on anything else; it will always be reduced to these primal reactions. 3 In an earlier essay, Kahan went further to argue that an emotional impulse such as disgust

Problematizing Consent Campaigns in the #METOO Era

by Inga Schowengerdt and Sharon Lamb

Gender and Women's Studies

The increasing prevalence of campus sexual assault begs the question of whether consent campaigns... more The increasing prevalence of campus sexual assault begs the question of whether consent campaigns, and interventions that preceded them, may be effectively paying lip service to this issue rather that creating meaningful reform. In this paper, we focus on poster campaigns that promote consent as a solution to campus sexual assault. We begin by reviewing the various definitions and critiques of consent. Our sample of 194 posters was obtained through Google and Pinterest searches on various search terms (e.g. “university consent sexual.”) Using Willig’s (2013) 6 Stages of Discourse Analysis that leads the researcher through discursive constructions, positioning, discourses, subjectivities, action orientations, and practices, we discuss themes and discourses around the idea that consent is simple; that women are to be strong sexual agents; that sex requires a conversation; and that onlookers must be responsible citizens. The first three of these discourses reveal a neoliberal perspecti...

Early Responsivity to Moral Events: Physiological and Behavioral Correlates?

This study investigated toddlers' reactions to morally related events to determine whether age wa... more This study investigated toddlers' reactions to morally related events to determine whether age was a factor in emotional reaction, whether the middle of the second year was a salient time for the emergence of emotional reactions to such events, and whether heart rate change could be used as a new measure of moral responsivity. While their heart rate was being monitored by an electrocardiograph machine, 51 toddlers aged 14 to 21 months were presented with three kinds of morally related events: (1) a prohibition to touch a certain object; (2) a distress cry from the experimenter who pretended to lose something important; and (3) a request to violate a standard, such as a request to spill juice on the floor. Toddlers' emotional responsivity to these events was measured by their heart =ate changes, facial expressions, and latency to touch an object presented after the prohibited object. Although no clear relationship between heart rate and other measures of emotional responsivity and no clear age trends were found, those toddlers whose heart rates accelerated after the prohibition were less likely than other toddlers to touch the object that was presented after the prohibited object. Negative affect after the prohibition was expressed the older age groups significantly more frequently than in the younger groups. (MDM)

Sexualization of Girls: Addressing Criticism of the APA Report, Presenting New Evidence

SAGE Open, Jul 1, 2019

In 2007, the American Psychological Association's Task Force (APA TF) on the Sexualization of Gir... more In 2007, the American Psychological Association's Task Force (APA TF) on the Sexualization of Girls published its report. It continues to be the most downloaded report on the APA website and at the time brought an empirical focus to what was just becoming a national conversation . The Task Force first defined sexualization: a person's value comes only from his or her sexual appeal or behavior, to the exclusion of other characteristics; a person is held to a standard that equates physical attractiveness (narrowly defined) with being sexy; a person is sexually objectified-that is, made into a thing for others' sexual use, rather than seen as a person with the capacity for independent action and decision making; and/or l sexuality is inappropriately imposed upon a person. (APA TF on the Sexualization of Girls, 2007, p. 1) The Task Force then collected evidence, both anecdotal and empirical, for the sexualization of girls. It separated research that presented evidence for exposure to sexualizing material from research that found consequences to girls, boys, and the general public. Finally, it made recommendations with regard to prevention that was based on the literature that was available and practice known to the psychologists contributing to the report. One of the recommendations was for continued and focused empirical research and this update, 10 years later, shows how researchers heeded this call. Soon after the report was released, critical responses emerged (Duschinsky, 2013a(Duschinsky, , 2013b;;. One criticism of the report came from those who believed the risk focus contributed to a renewed moral panic about female sexuality in general and positioned girls as vulnerable or helpless, thus reinforcing age old stereotypes (e.g., Duschinsky, 2013aDuschinsky, , 2013b;;. Some of these critics wanted to see girls represented in the report as greater agents in their own sexual development. A second criticism focused on the research presented which did not cover or draw many conclusions about sexualization and its effects on girls of color or LGBT girls (e.g., . A third criticism also focused on the participants of the research studies cited, in that the report too often extrapolated from research on adults to make comments about girls and adolescents or used research on adolescents to make comments about girls (e.g., . These criticisms continue to be worthy of consideration. Thus, in addition to carrying out an update that reviews evidence for sexualization and potential deleterious effects of sexualization on girls and boys, we explore whether the 881024S GOXXX10.

Porn as a Pathway to Empowerment? A Response to Peterson’s Commentary

Sex Roles, Mar 1, 2010

In my article on the idealization of female adolescent sexuality, I raised questions for feminist... more In my article on the idealization of female adolescent sexuality, I raised questions for feminist theorists and researchers about our theorizing about "desire", "pleasure", and "subjectivity". Zoe Peterson's commentary on this article responds to one of 5 critical points I make, that the description of the ideal sexual adolescent who feels pleasure, desire, and subjectivity may be ironically similar to the commodified, sexualized, marketed teen girl. Here I correct some misrepresentations of my point of view in Peterson's commentary and reply to first her warning that to interpret girls differently than they interpret themselves is akin to dismissing their voices and second to her idea that a porn-influenced expression of sexuality can be seen as a step in the direction of sexual empowerment.

Treating sexually abused children: Issues of blame and responsibility

American Journal of Orthopsychiatry, Apr 1, 1986

It is proposed that clinicians refrain from telling sexually abused children that the experience ... more It is proposed that clinicians refrain from telling sexually abused children that the experience of abuse was &amp;amp;amp;amp;quot;not their fault,&amp;amp;amp;amp;quot; since such well-intentioned assurances can diminish the sense of power and control that the children may feel in addition to their guilt. Affirming children&amp;amp;amp;amp;#39;s sense of power rather than their status as victims may have future benefits for them and for their own children.

Rape Victims in Court: Balancing Stereotypes, Identity, and Justice

Psychology of Women Quarterly, Sep 1, 2008

privilege, and equality are never addressed, and feminist theorists and perspectives receive spec... more privilege, and equality are never addressed, and feminist theorists and perspectives receive specific attention in only three pages throughout the text. An additional problem is the separated discussion of Roberts’s Seven-Stage Crisis Intervention Model and his Woman-Battering Continuum; his two models appear in almost every chapter throughout the book. The theoretical models presented are very limited, with little coverage of other models in the field. Furthermore, the book is theoretically rooted solely in cognitive and cognitive-behavioral approaches. This volume would have been strengthened by either inclusion of additional theoretical approaches or a specific framing of the text as one primarily aligned with cognitive and cognitivebehavioral theories. In addition, greater attention to treatment evaluation and programmatic assessment of interventions, as well as inclusion of prevention efforts, would have strengthened the text. Finally, in comparison to other books, it is unclear how this text is markedly different from a 2002 book edited by Roberts, titled Handbook of Domestic Violence Intervention Strategies: Policies, Programs, and Legal Remedies. In terms of more feminist-based scholarship in this area, interested readers may choose Hamel and Nicholls’s edited text, Family Interventions in Domestic Violence: A Handbook of Gender-Inclusive Theory and Treatment. Nevertheless, because of the continued high incidence of interpersonal relationship violence and violence within families, books like Battered Women and Their Families are always quite timely and will likely be well received. Overall, Roberts provides a foundational read with his compilation, Battered Women and Their Families: Intervention Strategies and Treatment Programs. The book is likely useful for those early in their exposure to domestic violence and treatment strategies.

Developing through relationships: Origins of communication, self, and culture. Fogel Alan. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1993

Applied Psycholinguistics, Apr 1, 1995

Shock and Arggghhh: More Notes From the Trenches of the War Against the Sexualization of Childhood

Psyccritiques, 2009

Women, Abuse, and Forgiveness: A Special Case

Oxford University Press eBooks, Jun 20, 2002

... Before forgiving: Cautionary views of forgiveness in psychotherapy. Lamb, Sharon. Lamb, Sharo... more

Adolescent Girls’ Sexual Empowerment: Two Feminists Explore the Concept

Sex Roles, May 11, 2011

Although all feminists tend to value empowered female sexuality, feminists often disagree, someti... more Although all feminists tend to value empowered female sexuality, feminists often disagree, sometimes heatedly so, about the definition of and path to empowered sexuality among adolescent girls. In this theoretical paper, two feminists, who have previously expressed differing perspectives regarding adolescent girls' sexual empowerment (Lamb 2010a, b; Peterson 2010), discuss their disagreements and attempt to find some common ground in their viewpoints on girls' sexuality. A critical question related to sexual empowerment is whether empowerment includes a subjective sense of efficacy, desire, and pleasure. In other words, are girls sexually empowered if they feel that they are empowered? The authors identify three themes that make answering this question particularly challenging-age differences, exposure to sexualized media, and the pressure to please a partner. Despite these challenges, the authors identify several points of consensus, including agreeing that adequate sexuality education and media literacy education are vital to optimizing adolescent girls' sexual empowerment.

The Secret Lives of Girls: What Good Girls Really Do--Sex Play, Aggression, and Their Guilt

... over again. The raucous, in-your-face teen sexuality of today is not a sexuality that leaves ... more

Sexualized Innocence

Journal of Media Psychology, 2009

The present study tested the hypothesis that viewing images of women posed as sexy young girls ca... more The present study tested the hypothesis that viewing images of women posed as sexy young girls can lead to greater acceptance of child sexual abuse myths. Sixty-five participants were randomly assigned to three groups: the control group who viewed “Nature” ads, the “Sexy Adult” group who viewed ads of adult women, and the “Sexy Child” group who viewed advertisements of women posed as sexy young girls. It was predicted that participants who viewed advertisements of women posed as sexy young girls would score higher on the Child Sexual Abuse Myth Scale (CSAM; Collings, 1997 ) than participants in the two other groups. The hypothesis was not supported; however participants who saw ads of any women scored significantly higher on the CSAM Scale than those who viewed nature ads.

The Emergence of Morality in the Second Year of Life

In a study of children's moral development, four toddlers and their mothers were observed at home... more In a study of children's moral development, four toddlers and their mothers were observed at home approximately every three weeks when toddlers were 13-23 months of age. Six behavioral signs of children's awareness of standards were coded: (1) proud looks, achievement smiles, statements of accomplishment; (2) awareness of, interest in, and exclamations about flawed objects and discrepant events; (3) awareness of a violation; (4) awareness that something was potentially harmful; (5) use of moral vocabulary, use of labels such as "good," "bad," or "yucky," and questioning or reciting of a rule; and (6) saying "Uh-oh" in response to accidents or with no evident reference. Mothers' remarks related to achievement, discrepancy, transgression, and empathy were coded. All four children showed peaks in signs between 17 and 18 months, and first displayed empathy between 16 and 19 months. Patterns of maternal communications followed the changes in children's behaviors. A class of behavior that was a]most completely free of maternal input was interest in flawed objects and discrepant events. After 17 months, children were able to infer wrongdoing and another person's intentions. A major increase in use of internal state words occurred around the time of the peak in awareness of standards. Data suggest that early signs of moral concern may depend more on maturational than on socialization processes. About 90 references are cited. (RH)

LGBTQ for the PreK-12 Set: A Guide to Navigating Gender and Sexual Diversity in Schools

Sex Roles, Jan 25, 2013

Media Effects and the Sexualization of Girls

Sex Roles, Oct 7, 2008

It's tempting as an academic, when reading a book clearly written for the layperson, to pick... more

IV. Sexual Tensions in Girls’ Friendships

Feminism & Psychology, Aug 1, 2004

Girlhood sexuality is one aspect of girlhood that has been suppressed or that has developed outsi... more

Problematizing Consent Campaigns in the #METOO Era

Gender and Women's Studies, 2021

The increasing prevalence of campus sexual assault begs the question of whether consent campaigns... more The increasing prevalence of campus sexual assault begs the question of whether consent campaigns, and interventions that preceded them, may be effectively paying lip service to this issue rather that creating meaningful reform. In this paper, we focus on poster campaigns that promote consent as a solution to campus sexual assault. We begin by reviewing the various definitions and critiques of consent. Our sample of 194 posters was obtained through Google and Pinterest searches on various search terms (e.g. “university consent sexual.”) Using Willig’s (2013) 6 Stages of Discourse Analysis that leads the researcher through discursive constructions, positioning, discourses, subjectivities, action orientations, and practices, we discuss themes and discourses around the idea that consent is simple; that women are to be strong sexual agents; that sex requires a conversation; and that onlookers must be responsible citizens. The first three of these discourses reveal a neoliberal perspecti...

Book Review:The Trouble with Blame: Victims, Perpetrators, and Responsibility. Sharon Lamb

Ethics, 1997

“Normal” childhood sexual play and games: Differentiating play from abuse

Child Abuse & Neglect, 1993

The Psychology of Condemnation: Underlying Emotions and their Symbolic Expression in Condemning and Shaming

Brooklyn law review, 2003

It is not so difficult for the general public, along with many a philosopher, to distinguish betw... more It is not so difficult for the general public, along with many a philosopher, to distinguish between judging and condemning. Roger Wertheimer reminds us that abstaining from judgment is not an option for human beings. 1 While lawyers, philosophers and psychologists alike would agree that the cognitive act of judging is integral to moral practice in any culture, condemning, its emotional sister, may be even more profoundly connected to morality. Judgments are anchored by social standards of behavior, which may shift by way of changes in time and differences in place. In contrast, condemnation is more unpredictable and less controllable, stemming as easily from an emotional impulse as from an awareness that someone has violated an important social norm. Dan Kahan argues that emotional impulse always underlies judging and we fool ourselves to think otherwise. 2 He suggests that an affect-laden perception arrives on the scene before cognition kicks in and that all subsequent doctrine conforms to it. He even goes so far as to argue that the law cannot be based on anything else; it will always be reduced to these primal reactions. 3 In an earlier essay, Kahan went further to argue that an emotional impulse such as disgust

Problematizing Consent Campaigns in the #METOO Era

by Inga Schowengerdt and Sharon Lamb

Gender and Women's Studies

The increasing prevalence of campus sexual assault begs the question of whether consent campaigns... more The increasing prevalence of campus sexual assault begs the question of whether consent campaigns, and interventions that preceded them, may be effectively paying lip service to this issue rather that creating meaningful reform. In this paper, we focus on poster campaigns that promote consent as a solution to campus sexual assault. We begin by reviewing the various definitions and critiques of consent. Our sample of 194 posters was obtained through Google and Pinterest searches on various search terms (e.g. “university consent sexual.”) Using Willig’s (2013) 6 Stages of Discourse Analysis that leads the researcher through discursive constructions, positioning, discourses, subjectivities, action orientations, and practices, we discuss themes and discourses around the idea that consent is simple; that women are to be strong sexual agents; that sex requires a conversation; and that onlookers must be responsible citizens. The first three of these discourses reveal a neoliberal perspecti...