Date of Award

12-2025

Degree Type

Masters Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Science (MS)

School

Psychology

Committee Chair

Dr. Eric Dahlen

Committee Chair School

Psychology

Committee Member 2

Dr. Bonnie Nicholson

Committee Member 2 School

Psychology

Committee Member 3

Dr. Emily Yowell

Committee Member 3 School

Psychology

Abstract

Police legitimacy refers to one’s trust in the police to be fair and make just decisions in their interactions with the public. Individuals’ perceptions of police legitimacy play a crucial role in predicting how they interact with police. More positive perceptions are associated with cooperative behaviors; less favorable views are associated with resisting behaviors. Few studies have examined the relationship of broad personality traits with perceptions of police legitimacy. The current study examined the HEXACO model of personality and right-wing authoritarianism as predictors of perceived police legitimacy among college students (N = 268). While taking gender, race, and social desirability into account, HEXACO Agreeableness and Openness predicted perceived police legitimacy. Additionally, right-wing authoritarianism accounted for additional variance in police legitimacy beyond the contribution of the HEXACO model. Exploratory analyses showed that both race and political orientation predicted police legitimacy. Black participants scored lower on perceived police legitimacy than White participants. Individuals who self-identified as conservative scored higher on perceived police legitimacy compared to their liberal leaning counterparts. In addition, participants who perceived religion as more important in their lives scored higher on police legitimacy while taking gender, race, and social desirability into account.

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