Demeanor and Police Culture: Theorizing How Procedurally Just Cooperation Influences Police Officers

• In Event: Research Focusing on Police Officers

Abstract

This study revisits classic theoretical arguments regarding the broad effects of civilian demeanor on policing and extends associated findings (Wilson, 1967). Our theoretical framework draws on insights from the literatures on police culture, the group engagement model and fairness heuristic theory. We argue that demeanor should be conceptualized as the degree of procedural justice exhibited by civilians. Theoretically, procedurally just cooperation should influence officers’ adherence to police culture by affecting their social identification and assessments of civilians’ motives and moral deservingness. An analysis of data from a sample of U.S. police officers supports these hypotheses. Regression results reveal that officers use their procedural justice judgments as heuristics to assess civilians’ trustworthiness, dangerousness, and moral deservingness. Officers who perceive greater procedurally just cooperation by civilians feel less threatened by the public, are more willing to use procedural justice themselves, and are less supportive of a “tough cop” policing style.

Authors

• Justin T Pickett, University at Albany, SUNY

• Justin Nix, University of Nebraska Omaha