NCJ Number
26370
Journal
American Journal of Orthopsychiatry Volume: 45 Issue: 4 Dated: (JULY 1975) Pages: 596-613
Date Published
1975
Length
18 pages
Annotation
THIS PAPER EXAMINES THE ATTITUDE, VALUE, PERSONALITY, AND FAMILY PATTERN CHARACTERISTICS OF AN INDIVIDUAL WHICH MAY LEAD TO SUPPORT OF THE DEATH PENALTY.
Abstract
THE FIRST STEP IN THE AUTHORS' ANALYSIS WAS TO ESTABLISH THE ATTITUDE, VALUE, AND PERSONALITY CONSTELLATION WHICH SOCIAL-PSYCHOLOGICAL RESEARCH HAS SHOWN TO BE ASSOCIATED WITH SUPPORT OF THE DEATH PENALTY. REVIEW OF THESE STUDIES REVEALED THAT FAVORABLENESS TOWARD THE DEATH PENALTY IS ASSOCIATED WITH AUTHORITARIANISM AND DOGMATISM; RACIAL, RELIGIOUS, AND SEX PREJUDICE; PUNITIVENESS; AND ACCEPTANCE OF VIOLENCE AS A NORMAL AND MORALLY JUSTIFIED PART OF SOCIAL LIFE. THE AUTHORS THEN EXAMINED RESEARCH ON FAMILY PATTERNS WHICH COULD PRODUCE THE ABOVE CONFIGURATION OF FACTORS. IT WAS FOUND THAT CERTAIN ASPECTS OF FAMILY RELATIONSHIPS ARE ASSOCIATED WITH THIS CONFIGURATION. SPECIFICALLY: 1) A HIGH LEVEL OF ALL TYPES OF FORCE AND VIOLENCE; 2) A TENDENCY FOR INTRAFAMILY VIOLENCE TO BE INSTRUMENTAL AND INFUSED WITH MORAL INDIGNATION AND RECTITUDE; 3) DISCRETIONARY USE OF INTRAFAMILY VIOLENCE AND PUNISHMENT; AND 4) PUNITIVE CHILD REARING WHICH LEADS TO PUNITIVE VALUES AND AUTHORITARIANISM. THE AUTHORS ARGUE THAT IF, FOR THE MOST PART, IT TAKES FAMILY PROCESSES CHARACTERIZED BY THESE NEGATIVE INFLUENCES TO PRODUCE INDIVIDUALS WHO FAVOR THE DEATH PENALTY, THIS FACT COULD BE AN IMPORTANT BASIS FOR THE SUPREME COURT'S JUDGEMENT OF THE DEGREE TO WHICH PUBLIC SUPPORT FOR THE DEATH PENALTY IS CONSISTENT WITH EMERGING STANDARDS OF DECENCY.