Love and Order: How legal experts and laypersons assess accountability in Intimate Partner Violence cases

Abstract This study investigates the influence of romantic narratives on the perception of intimate partner violence (IPV). A sample of legal professionals (N = 264) evaluated a case in which the offender’s motive was presented as romantic, non-romantic, or unspecified (control condition). Participants assessed IPV legitimization, operationalized as personal and legal accountability of the offender (male) and the victim (female). Contrary to previous findings in a layperson sample, where romantic motivation increased victim-blaming, the present study found no effect of motive on any measure of legitimization. These findings suggest that legal training may mitigate biases associated with cultural narratives and emphasize its potential applicability in domains requiring analytical reasoning and impartial decision-making.