batterer’s excuses

rationalizations given by individuals who beat their spouses or domestic partners. These may include claims of provocation, or that beating a spouse or partner is acceptable in the batterer’s culture, or that the batterer was angry. The victim of battering may come to believe in the batterer’s excuses, and such self-blame or other justifications for the abuser’s behavior can make it more difficult for the person to leave the relationship without adequate support. See also blaming the victim; cycle of violence.

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Psychology term of the day

May 9th 2024

hierarchically nested design

any research design that involves several levels of sampling, such that the entities on the lower levels of the design are nested or subsumed within higher order groups. For example, a hierarchically nested design for an educational study might involve students (A), who are nested within classrooms (B), which are nested within schools (C), which are further nested within school districts (D). Several statistical procedures (e.g., analysis of variance, regression analysis, hierarchical linear models) also incorporate a hierarchical aspect. Also called hierarchical design; nested design.