Poster #194 - Social Media and Police Misconduct: Impact on Legitimacy and Cooperation with Campus Police.

• In Event: ASC Poster Session I

Abstract

This study examines how exposure to online (social media and internet news) depictions of police misconduct influences college students' perceptions of campus police legitimacy, procedural justice, and cooperation. Guided by process-based and cultivation theories, a survey of 400 students at a large Southeastern public university assessed their viewing habits and perceptions. Multivariate regression revealed that greater exposure to online police misconduct was significantly associated with lower legitimacy, procedural justice, and cooperation with campus police. Political orientation moderated these relationships: conservatives showed a steeper decline in trust and cooperation with increased exposure, while liberals maintained lower, stable perceptions. These findings highlight the impact of digital media on students' views of campus authority, supporting cultivation theory's resonance and selective exposure hypotheses. The study suggests the need for trauma-informed, transparent, and community-based policing strategies tailored to university settings.

Author

• Kamal Alhassan, Virginia Commonwealth University