Universal Human Values Predicting Support for Law Enforcement: Implications for Justice in the 21st Century

• In Event: Building Bridges: Understanding Public Trust and Support for Law Enforcement

Abstract

Schwartz’s (2012) theory proposes ten universal values motivated by different goals. The values are power, achievement, hedonism, stimulation, self-direction, universalism, benevolence, tradition, conformity, and security. These values form a circular structure reflecting motivational compatibility and conflict. Previous studies find that values come from socialization experiences and that values defined by security, power, and conformity positively correlate with acts of support for police officers, while values such as universalism, self-direction, and benevolence negatively correlate with support for police (Morris & LeCount, 2020). This study finds that people who value security, power, and conformity have more “favorable / warm” feelings about the police whereas people who value universalism, self-direction, and benevolence self-report “cold / unfavorable” feelings about the police. Results suggest antecedent value orientations influence how people relate to the police in contemporary society. The implication of this research gets framed by ongoing narratives calling to “defund the police” on the one hand and “blue lives matter” on the other. This research also comments on public discourse, civility, and criminal justice policy as structures linking antecedent value-attitudes to public support for law enforcement in the 21st century.

Author

• R.C. Morris, Weber State University