NCJ Number
7296
Date Published
1968
Length
210 pages
Annotation
INVESTIGATION OF THE POLITICAL SOCIALIZATION PROCESS TO DETERMINE HOW SCHOOL CHILDREN LEARN ORIENTATIONS TOWARDS LEGAL AUTHORITY FIGURES.
Abstract
THEORIES ON THE TRANSMISSION OF AUTHORITY ORIENTATIONS ARE REVIEWED, AND A ROLE-LEARNING MODEL OF POLITICAL SOCIALIZATION, WHICH ENCOMPASSES BOTH COGNITIVE AND EMOTIONAL FACTORS, IS PROPOSED. DATA WERE COLLECTED TO TEST THIS MODEL FROM ELEMENTARY AND SECONDARY SCHOOL CHILDREN IN A MIDDLE-SIZE MIDWESTERN COMMUNITY. IT WAS FOUND THAT YOUNG CHILDREN BEGIN THEIR SCHOOL YEARS WITH A STRONG COMMITMENT TO LAW, HIGH RESPECT FOR THE POLICEMAN, AND A PREFERENCE FOR WELL DEFINED AUTHORITY RELATIONS, BUT THAT THESE SUPPORTIVE ORIENTATIONS ERODE AS CHILDREN ADVANCE IN THEIR EDUCATION. AS CHILDREN LEARN THE NORMS OF PROCEDURAL DUE PROCESS THAT RESTRICT THE ACTIONS OF AUTHORITY FIGURES, A PROCESS HIGHLY CORRELATED TO I. Q. AND OTHER ABILITIES, UNQUESTIONING SUPPORT FOR AUTHORITY FIGURES DECLINES.