NCJ Number
52859
Journal
Journal of Police Science and Administration Volume: 6 Issue: 4 Dated: (DECEMBER 1978) Pages: 424-428
Date Published
1978
Length
5 pages
Annotation
TO EVALUATE THE EFFECTS OF HUMAN DEVELOPMENT COURSES ON CRIMINAL JUSTICE STUDENTS, QUESTIONNAIRES ADMINISTERED TO CRIMINAL JUSTICE STUDENTS BOTH PARTICIPATING AND NOT PARTICIPATING IN THE COURSE WERE ANALYZED.
Abstract
HUMAN DEVELOPMENT (HD) COURSES AT THE AMERICAN INTERNATIONAL COLLEGE (MASS.) WERE DESIGNED TO PROVIDE A SUPPORTIVE ENVIRONMENT FOR EXAMINING AND UPDATING PERSONAL VALUE SYSTEMS, INCREASING STUDENTS' KNOWLEDGE OF INTERPERSONAL RELATIONSHIPS, AND PROVIDING CONCRETE BEHAVIORAL SKILLS TO CRIMINAL JUSTICE STUDENTS, THE MAJORITY OF WHOM (63 PERCENT) ARE POLICE OFFICERS. THE SCALES ALSO WERE ADMINISTERED TO COWORKERS AND INTIMATE ASSOCIATES OF CLASS PARTICIPANTS USING THE MAIN BODY OF CRIMINAL JUSTICE DEGREE CANDIDATES AS A CONTROL GROUP. THE SAMPLE INCLUDED 84 MASTER'S DEGREE STUDENTS OF WHICH 39 WERE HD PARTICIPANTS (HD'S). THE SEMANTIC DIFFERENTIAL SCALES (SD) WERE USED TO ASSESS SUBJECTS' SELF-CONCEPTS AND THEIR RELATIONSHIPS WITH OTHER PEOPLE ACCORDING TO 53 ITEMS SUCH AS 'TOLERANT-INTOLERANT' AND 'ASSERTIVE-AGGRESSIVE.' THE DOGMATIC (D) SCALE TESTED FOR AUTHORITARIANISM IN SUBJECTS. RESULTS SHOWED THAT NO SIGNIFICANT PERSONALITY CHANGES OCCURED IN THE HD'S IN 17 OF THE SCALES. HOWEVER, THERE WAS A CHANGE IN SELF-CONCEPTS REGARDING 'ASSERTIVE-AGGRESSIVE,' 'TRUSTING-SUSPICIOUS,' AND 'INITIATING-FOLLOWING' TRAITS. THE RESPONSES OF INTIMATE ASSOCIATES OF HD'S DID NOT INDICATE RECOGNITION OF THESE CHANGES, AND THE HD'S NOTICED A LARGER CHANGE IN THEMSELVES THAN THEIR COWORKERS NOTICED IN THEM. THERE WAS NO CHANGE IN DOGMATISM LEVELS, BUT THERE WAS A RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN HD'S DOGMATISM SCORES AND THE 'TRUSTING-SUSPICIOUS' DIMENSION OF THE SD SCALES. REFERENCES ARE PROVIDED. THE STUDY INSTRUMENT IS NOT INCLUDED. (DAG)