LONGITUDINAL STUDY OF ATTITUDE SHIFTS AMONG BLACK AND WHITE POLICE OFFICERS

• NCJ Number: 31839
• Journal: Journal of Social Issues Volume: 31 Issue: 1 Dated: (WINTER 1975) Pages: 47-56
• Author(s): J E TEAHAN
• Date Published: 1975
• Length: 10 pages
• Corporate Author: Soc for the Psychological Study of Social Issues
• Publication Format: Article
• Publication Type: Report (Study/Research)
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

THIS STUDY ANALYZED AND COMPARED THE ATTITUDES AND VALUES OF 97 WHITE AND 24 BLACK POLICE OFFICERS AT THREE STATES: ENTRANCE INTO THE POLICE ACADEMY, GRADUATION THIRTEEN WEEKS LATER AND EIGHTEEN MONTHS AFTER GRADUATION.

Abstract

RADICAL INCREASES IN RACIAL ANIMOSITY BETWEEN WHITE AND BLACK OFFICERS WERE FOUND FROM THE TIME OF ENTERING THE ACADEMY UNTIL EIGHTEEN MONTHS LATER. ALL OFFICERS SEEMED TO BECOME MORE HEDONISTIC, IMPERSONAL, AND DETACHED, AND TO DEVELOP FEELINGS OF HOSTILITY TOWARD AUTHORITY FIGURES. AS BLACK OFFICERS PROGRESSED THROUGH THE ACADEMY AND ON INTO REGULAR POLICE WORK, THE RESULTS SHOWED THAT THEY BECAME INCREASINGLY NEGATIVE TOWARD WHITES AND DISILLUSIONED WITH THE DEPARTMENT; THEY BEGAN TO SHIFT IN THE DIRECTION OF A GREATER SENSE OF BLACK UNITY AND POLARITY AGAINST WHITES. WHILE BLACKS SAW GREATER PREFERENCE BEING GIVEN TO WHITES, WHITE OFFICERS PERCEIVED THE CONVERSE WITH THE RESULT THAT THEY BECAME ALSO MORE ETHNOCENTRIC AND POLARIZED. LITTLE EVIDENCE WAS FOUND TO INDICATE THAT A POLICE EXPERIENCE MOLDS MEN TO FEEL A GREATER SENSE OF SOCIAL CONCERN, OR THAT IT MOTIVATES THEM TO IMPROVE RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN RACES. (AUTHOR ABSTRACT)