Gendered Patterns in Observers’ Responsibility Attributions and Severity Judgments of Psychological Aggression in Dating Violence in Spain

Psychological aggression in dating violence (PADV) is a prevalent yet normalized form of interpersonal violence. Understanding how gender biases shape perceptions of PADV is essential for improving prevention and victim support. This study examined how the gender of perpetrators, victims, and observers influence responsibility attribution and perceived severity of PADV among young adults in Spain. A total of 432 participants (50% women, n  = 216), aged 18 to 25 years, were randomly assigned to evaluate 1 of 12 vignettes varying by perpetrator and victim gender (male/female), type of psychological aggression (insults, control, and humiliation), and couple type (heterosexual/same sex). Male-perpetrated violence was rated as more severe and attributed more strongly to the aggressor, whereas female-perpetrated violence elicited greater victim blaming. Observer gender also affected evaluations, showing that women rated PADV as more severe than men, with the strongest effect observed in humiliation scenarios, where women also attributed greater responsibility to perpetrators and less to victims. No significant differences were found between heterosexual and same-sex couples. These findings suggest that gendered attributional patterns persist even among younger generations socialized under equality-oriented policy frameworks. Addressing gendered attributions through prevention and educational initiatives is therefore essential to reducing tolerance of psychological violence.