Conservatism, Dogmatism, and Authoritarianism in British Police Officers

Abstract

The Wilson-Patterson Attitude Inventory, Eysenck's Social and Political Attitude Inventory, Rokeach's Dogmatism Scale, and the Lee-Warr Balanced F Scale were administered to 48 recruit police constables at the beginning and end of their basic training, 36 probationer constables with an average of 20 months' police experience, and 30 control subjects matched with the police groups in socioeconomic status. All subjects also gave open-ended responses to questions on controversial issues. Compared with control subjects, the recruits' and probationers' scores were significantly more conservative and authoritarian, and the probationers' open-ended responses on the death penalty and coloured immigration were rated significantly more illiberal/intolerant. The probationers' responses on coloured immigration were also rated significantly more illiberal/intolerant than those of the recruits. Among the recruits, basic training was followed by a reduction in conservatism and authoritarianism. The findings suggest that the police force attracts conservative and authoritarian personalities, that basic training has a temporarily liberalizing effect, and that continued police service results in increasingly illiberal/intolerant attitudes towards coloured immigration.