NCJ Number
64857
Journal
Criminal Justice and Behavior Volume: 6 Issue: 4 Dated: (DECEMBER 1979) Pages: 327-338
Date Published
1979
Length
12 pages
Annotation
SIXTEEN MALE STATE POLICE TROOPERS WITH EITHER A MALE OR FEMALE PARTNER REACTED TO A TRAINING FILM DESIGNED TO PROVOKE IMPULSIVE AGGRESSION. TROOPERS WITH FEMALE PARTNERS PROVED MORE AGGRESSIVE.
Abstract
THE TROOPERS AND PARTNERS FIRED BLANK LOADS DIRECTLY AT A MOVIE SCREEN WHEN THEY FELT IT WOULD HAVE BEEN APPROPRIATE TO DO SO HAD THE SITUATIONS DEPICTED IN THE MOVIE BEEN REAL. THE HYPOTHESIS THAT FEMALE PRESENCE WOULD AFFECT SHOOTING RESPONSES OF MALE TROOPERS WAS CONFIRMED. TROOPERS WITH FEMALE PARTNERS FIRED MORE OFTEN AND WITH FEWER ERRORS THAN DID TROOPERS WITH MALE PARTNERS. THE RESULTS CAN BE INTERPRETED IN SEVERAL WAYS. FIRST, IT COULD BE THAT CONSISTENT WITH THE FRUSTRATION/AGGRESSION HYPOTHESIS, FEMALE POLICE OFFICERS AROUSE HOSTILE FEELINGS IN MALE POLICE OFFICERS, AND BECAUSE THERE IS NO OPPORTUNITY FOR THE FEELINGS TO BE DISCHARGED AGAINST THE FEMALE OFFICER, THE CONSEQUENT FRUSTRATION IS DISPLACED AND RESULTS IN AN INCREASED LEVEL OF EXCITEMENT AND INCREASED REACTIVITY. A SECOND INTERPRETATION MIGHT BE THAT TROOPERS ARE EXHIBITING A SORT OF PROTECTIVE RESPONSE, FIRING MORE OFTEN AS A WAY OF KEEPING THE WOMAN SAFE FROM DANGER. NEITHER EXPLANATION, HOWEVER, ACCOUNTS FOR TROOPERS WITH FEMALE PARTNERS MAKING FEWER NONREACTIVE SHOOTING ERRORS. ANOTHER INTERPRETATION IS THAT THE FEMALE PRESENCE STIMULATES MILD SEXUAL AROUSAL THAT AFFECTS AGGRESSIVE REACTIONS. WHATEVER THE INTERPRETATION OF RESULTS, THE DIFFERENCES IN BEHAVIOR ARE CLEAR--MALE POLICE TROOPERS WITH FEMALE PARTNERS MORE OFTEN RESPONDED TO DANGEROUS SITUATIONS APPROPRIATELY BY MORE CLEARLY PERCEIVING DANGER AND ACTING ON IT THAN DID TROOPERS WITH MALE PARTNERS. REFERENCES ARE GIVEN. (AUTHOR ABSTRACT MODIFIED--MJW)