NCJ Number
44556
Journal
Law and Society Review Volume: 11 Issue: 5 Dated: (SUMMER 1977) Pages: 851-871
Date Published
1977
Length
21 pages
Annotation
THE HYPOTHESIS THAT PUBLIC SUPPORT OF THE SUPREME COURT STEMS FROM YOUTHFUL IDEALIZATION IS SCRUTINIZED; AN ANALYSIS OF DATA ON CHILDREN'S OPINIONS OF THE COURT TENDS TO REFUTE THE HYPOTHESIS.
Abstract
THE 'YOUTHFUL IDEALIZATION' VIEW RESULTED FROM A 1969 STUDY BY EASTON AND DENNIS OF OVER 10,000 WHITE, MIDDLE-CLASS, GRADE SCHOOL CHILDREN. THE HYPOTHESIS HAS GAINED WIDESPREAD ACCEPTANCE; THIS PAPER ATTEMPTS TO CRITICALLY EVALUATE THE THEORY. THE AUTHOR UNDERTOOK A QUANTITATIVE AND QUALITATIVE ANALYSIS OF DATA GATHERED FROM INTERVIEWS CONDUCTED DURING THE 1969-1970 ACADEMIC YEAR INVOLVING 25 BLACK AND 86 WHITE AMERICAN CHILDREN 10 TO 14 YEARS OLD. OPEN-ENDED QUESTIONS WERE DESIGNED TO ELICIT THE CHILD'S PERCEPTIONS OF MAJOR POLITICAL ROLES AND INSTITUTIONS, INCLUDING THE SUPREME COURT. THE FINDINGS OFFER EVIDENCE THAT MOST CHILDREN ARE NOT ONLY UNAWARE OF THE SUPREME COURT AND ITS FUNCTIONS BUT DEMONSTRATE LITTLE OR NO POSITIVE AFFECT TOWARD THAT INSTITUTION. THE DIFFERING RESULTS OF THE ORIGINAL STUDY AND THE LATER STUDY ARE ATTRIBUTED TO THE FACT THAT THE 1969 DATA WAS COLLECTED THROUGH THE USE OF FIXED-RESPONSE SURVEY INSTRUMENTS. THE CONCLUSIONS DRAWN FROM THE LACK OF INFORMATION OR AFFECT ARE THAT THE SUPREME COURT DOES NOT HAVE A TREMENDOUS STORE OF LEGITIMACY AND THAT A PERSON'S VIEWS ARE LARGELY A PRODUCT OF WHETHER THE PERSON LIKES OR DISLIKES PARTICULAR DECISIONS. SUPPORTING DATA AND REFERENCES ARE PROVIDED.