STUDY OF YOUTH ATTITUDES TOWARD AUTHORITY AND THEIR RELATION TO SCHOOL ADJUSTMENT PATTERNS - A REPORT PREPARED BY THE 1973-74 HUMBOLDT COUNTY (CA) GRAND JURY

• NCJ Number: 18063
• Author(s): D BOWLUS; M BROWN; S CASTIGLIONE; J JENNINGS
• Date Published: 1974
• Length: 60 pages
• Corporate Author: Educational Research Associates
• Sale Source: Eric Document Reproduction Service; National Institute of Justice/
• Publication Type: Report (Study/Research)
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

TWO-PHASE STUDY WHICH EXAMINED THE ATTITUDES OF HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS TOWARD LAW ENFORCEMENT IN THE COUNTY.

Abstract

THIS STUDY COVERED A 4 MONTH PERIOD, SAMPLING 671 ADVANCED LEVEL HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS FROM 5 SCHOOLS. THE FIRST PHASE SURVEYED STUDENT ATTITUDES TOWARD LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS; THE SECOND INVESTIGATED THE RELATION OF STUDENT ADJUSTMENT PATTERNS TO THESE ATTITUDES. TO IDENTIFY SOURCES OF RATING VARIATIONS, STUDENTS WERE DIVIDED INTO SUBGROUPS BY SEX, SCHOOL ATTENDED, PARENTS' INCOME LEVEL, AND RACIAL GROUP (AMERICAN INDIAN AND ANGLO). RATINGS OF LAW OFFICERS ARE ALSO INFLUENCED BY THE BROADER, PERHAPS MORE STABLE, PERSONAL AND SOCIAL ATTITUDES (ALIENATION AND AUTHORITARIANISM). THERE WAS A SIGNIFICANT RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE RESPONDENT'S DEGREE OF ALIENATION AND EVALUATIONS GIVEN LAW OFFICERS. SUCCESS WITHIN THE SCHOOL SOCIETY WAS FOUND TO DEPEND PRIMARILY UPON ACCULTURATION, OR CONFORMITY TO AN IMPLICIT MODEL OF SOCIAL BEHAVIOR AND PERSONAL CONDUCT AND COMPLIANCE TO THE WILL OF THE TEACHERS. THOSE STUDENTS WHO WERE THE MOST 'CULTURALLY DIFFERENT' FROM THE WHITE MIDDLE CLASS MODEL, IN THIS CASE NATIVE AMERICANS, WERE FOUND TO SUFFER MOST AND ACHIEVE LEAST. EMPHASIZED IS THE FACT THAT DIFFERENCES IN ACHIEVEMENT LEVELS NOT CAUSED BY DIFFERENCES IN ABILITY TO LEARN, BUT RATHER WERE THE CONSEQUENCE OF THE INTERACTION OF THE STUDENTS' CULTURAL BACKGROUNDS WITH THE SCHOOL SYSTEM. (AUTHOR ABSTRACT)