NCJ Number
102016
Journal
Journal of Police Science and Administration Volume: 14 Issue: 2 Dated: (June 1986) Pages: 146-151
Date Published
1986
Length
6 pages
Annotation
This study examined the effects of no-win situations in police shoot-don't shoot training film simulations on aggression for 13 police trainees and 19 undergraduate students.
Abstract
All subjects completed the Sixteen Personality Factor Test. Experimental subjects viewed the simulation, controls viewed a burglary prevention film. All subjects then responded to a series of vignettes showing police interacting with the public in a variety of situations (e.g., a verbally aggressive motorist). For police trainees, mean aggression scores were higher for controls than for experimentals. Similar results were found for the student group. Thus, the study found no support for the hypothesis that no-win training films cause aggression. A possible explanation for these results may be that most experimental subjects had only one opportunity to respond to the shooting decision situation. Repeated opportunities with unsuccessful consequences might be necessary to create frustration-aggression. Further, observation of others in unsuccessful situations may not be adequate to cause personal frustration, especially if the others do not demonstrate an aggressive reaction to the frustration. Finally, frustration may result in reactions such as guilt, apathy, or depression as well as aggression. 4 tables and 23 references.