Authoritarianism in Police College Students and Non-Police College Students

Smith, Alexander B.; Locke, Bernard; Walker, William F.

doi:10.2307/1141786

Cited by 26 publications

(9 citation statements)

References 1 publication

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…These officers are also generally more professional and ethical in their attitudes and behavior (Tyre and Braunstein 1992;Truxillo et al 1998). Other studies indicate that police officers with higher levels of education are less authoritarian than those with less formal education (Smith et al 1968;Smith et al 1970). Smith and Aamodt (1997) speculated that the benefits of a college education may not become apparent until paired with on-the-job experience, indicating that education is only one tool and should be used in conjunction with training and experience.…”

Section: Police Officers and Educationmentioning

confidence: 99%

Behind the Blue Line: Investigating Police Officers’ Attitudes Toward Rape

Page

2007

J Police Crim Psych

132

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

The current study contributes to what is known about police officers" attitudes toward rape. A survey was administered to 891 sworn police officers in two states in the southeastern United States. The surveys were designed to assess police officers" acceptance of rape myths. It was hypothesized that police officers would be accepting of rape myths, which are inherently misogynistic. Attitudes toward rape were expected to vary according to educational attainment and experience with rape investigations, such that higher levels of education and more experience with rape investigations would lead to the rejection of rape myths. There was a significant difference in the acceptance of rape myths with varying levels of educational attainment and experience with rape investigations. ARTICLEMen in American society are socialized to espouse "macho" beliefs and behavior. Connell (1987Connell ( , 1995Connell ( , 2002 refers to this as "hegemonic masculinity," an idealized form of masculinity, emphasizing dominance, aggression, heterosexuality and a lack of emotion. Hegemonic masculinity promotes, but does not determine behavior that supports the traditional gender order. Rather, it shapes one"s sense of reality and is modified to fit different situations (Messerschmidt 2000). In other words, hegemonic masculinity acts as a script for how men should behave and/or think in various situations.In conjunction with being socialized as male or female in the larger society, there is also a socialization process that occurs in police culture. Holdaway (1983) discussed police culture as

show abstract

Section: Police Officers and Educationmentioning

confidence: 99%

Behind the Blue Line: Investigating Police Officers’ Attitudes Toward Rape

Page

2007

J Police Crim Psych

132

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…The limited literature comparing police and other occupations shows mixed results. Comparisons between general college students and police college students, for example, have shown no differences in punitiveness or authoritarianismalthough there was possibly a problem of self-selection in the police samples (Smith et al 1968;Guller 1972;McCormick et al 1985). On the question of antiintellectualism, one study showed that police and college students shared similar views on the value of education.…”

Section: Occupational Culturesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Is There a Police Culture?

Prenzler¹

1997

Aust J Public Adm

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Recent commissions of inquiry and the growth of police studies in Australia have popuhrised the idea of a 'police culture'. A stereotyped image has developed of police sexism, racism, secrecy, antiintellectualism, brutality, corruption, biased law enforcement and politicisation. The alleged 'police culture' is at odds with every fundamental ethical principle of public service. In its simplified version the concept is becoming discredited as excessively unitary and deterministic. Nonetheless, the term has utility when seen in the context of the general idea of occupational cultures and of specific elements of an organisation's traditions and task environment which generate counter-productive and unethical practices. The concept also assists in focusing on managing organisational change to facilitate integrity and effective service provision.Thanks to Arch Harrison, former superintendent in the Queensland Police and now lecturer in police studies, for comments on drafts of this article.

show abstract

“…In partial support of that position are a variety of studies seeming to document the influence of situational effects. Carlson et al (197 1) found command personnel in a traditional police department to be significantly more authoritarian than those in an "innovative" department; McNamara (summarized in Piliavin, 1973) observed increased F scale scores for recruits over their first year with the police department; Sterling (Note 1) noted that policemen became more assertive and less inclined to help others during their first 18 months on the job; Lefkowitz ( 1974) observed patrolmen, especially those assigned to field operations, to score higher on Dogmatism than either command personnel or those in other bureau assignments who are less exposed to the dangers and pressures of "the street"; Culler (1972) and Smith et al (1967Smith et al ( , 1968Smith et al ( , 1970 describe the "liberalizing" effect on police officers of college education.…”

Section: Trait Syndrome Zi: Authoritarianism Status Concerns and VImentioning

confidence: 99%

Psychological Attributes of Policemen: A Review of Research and Opinion

Lefkowitz

1975

Journal of Social Issues

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

This review focuses primarily on personality characteristics of policemen. The data substantiate, with some qualifications, the existence of a nonpathological “modal police personality.” Methodological weaknesses prevent, however, an assessment of the relative developmental contributions of predisposing self‐selection effects, socioeconomic class determinants, organizational selection and selective attrition, occupational socialization, and role‐specific behaviors.

show abstract

Authoritarianism in Police College Students and Non-Police College Students

Cited by 26 publications

References 1 publication

Behind the Blue Line: Investigating Police Officers’ Attitudes Toward Rape

Behind the Blue Line: Investigating Police Officers’ Attitudes Toward Rape

Is There a Police Culture?

Psychological Attributes of Policemen: A Review of Research and Opinion

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About