Distinguishing between normative and non-normative motivations to obey the police: furthering the development of a police legitimacy scale

Abstract

PurposeMeasuring the normative obligation to obey the police, a key component of police legitimacy, has proven difficult. Pósch et al.’s (2021) proposed scales appear to overcome the problems associated with traditional measures. This study introduces new items for these scales and empirically assesses whether such additions have the desired effects on scale performance.Design/methodology/approachThis study uses data from a national online survey administered in July 2022 (N = 1,494). Measures of internal consistency and factor analysis were used to evaluate the properties of the obligation to obey scales. Linear regression was used to test the hypothesized effects.FindingsThe results show that adding the new items to the existing scales increased the level of internal consistency and improved how well the factor model fit the data. In terms of antecedents, procedural justice and bounded authority concerns were correlated with normative and non-normative obligations to obey the police in the expected direction and relative magnitude, findings that held for both the original and expanded scales. Although both normative obligation scales were significantly associated with willingness to cooperate with the police and significantly mediated the effect of procedural justice on cooperation, the relationship for the expanded scale was stronger and the mediation more pronounced.Originality/valueThis study extends previous research working to overcome some of the setbacks associated with measuring a crucial feature of police legitimacy. Effectively navigating this challenge will help advance legitimacy studies in criminal justice settings.

Procedurally just policing and persons in behavioral crises: investigating public perceptions, stigma and emotion

“…Thus, fear may discourage people from condemning inequalities and produce obedient but unjust societies (Tankebe and Meško, 2015, see also, Pósch et al. , 2021; Reisig and Trinkner, 2023).…”

“…In contrast, fear is an inhibitory emotion that pushes individuals to escape threatening situations or stimuli (Wake et al, 2020;Y€ uvr€ uk et al, 2020). Thus, fear may discourage people from condemning inequalities and produce obedient but unjust societies (Tankebe andMe sko, 2015, see also, P osch et al, 2021;Reisig and Trinkner, 2023).…”

“…1. There are important ongoing debates about the operationalizations of legitimacy, procedural justice, and obligation to obey, and whether they are empirically distinct from one another (see, e.g. Nagin and Telep, 2017; Reisig and Trinkner, 2023). However, these are beyond the scope of the current study.…”