Empirical Examination of the Relationship Between Attitudes and Decisions of Probation Officers

• NCJ Number: 84680
• Author(s): J E Katz
• Date Published: 1980
• Length: 346 pages
• Grant Number(s): 77-NI-99-0039
• Sponsoring Agency: US Dept of Justice
• Sale Source: UMI Dissertation Services; Not Available Through National Institute of Justice/NCJRS Document Loan Program
• Publication Type: Thesis/Dissertation
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America
• Note: *This document is currently unavailable from NCJRS. State University of New York at Albany - doctoral dissertation

Annotation

This dissertation examines the relationship between attitudes and decisions of probation officers. A total of 185 New York State probation officers were asked to make recommendations for 6 standardized case studies.

Abstract

The study attempts to answer two questions: (1) Is a sophisticated social psychological model for measuring attitude-behavior consistency an effective tool in examining decision variation among probation officers? and (2) Are there methodological factors which enhance or distort the attitude-behavior relationship? The probation officers' recommendations were then predicted using two variables suggested by Martin Fishbein's model for the prediction of behavioral intentions. These two variables explain, on the average, 45 percent of the variation in the probation officers' decisions. The standardized regression coefficients clearly show the attitude variable to be the more powerful predictor, although the belief variable is a stable and consistent predictor as well. Regardless of the time or order of the variables, the attitude variable is consistently twice as predictive as the belief variable. The ability of Fishbein's model to predict real behavior as opposed to the recommendation for hypothetical defendants was examined by predicting a self-reported measure of recommendations made over the past 6 months. Attitudes and social normative beliefs were equally able to predict real behavior and behavioral intentions. The study shows that criminal justice decisionmakers are excellent targets for attitude-behavior research. The model specifies important variables which affect probation officers' decisions. Tables, a bibliography, and appended technical information are included. (Author abstract modified)