The Big-Five, sense of control, mental health and fear of crime as contributory factors to attitudes towards punishment

详细信息    查看全文

• 作者：Eve K. Klama^a ; Vincent Egan ; ^a ; ^{ve2@leicester.ac.uk"" rel=""nofollow}
• 关键词：Fear of crime ; Personality ; Sense of control ; Mental health ; Punitiveness
• 刊名：Personality and Individual Differences
• 出版年：2011
• 出版时间：October 2011
• 年：2011
• 卷：51
• 期：5
• 页码：613-617
• 全文大小：217 K

文摘

Low sense of control (SoC), mental health problems and fear of crime (FoC) have separately and previously been linked to the Big-Five personality dimensions, but no study to date has sought to integrate these constructs simultaneously in relation to overall punitiveness. These constructs were assessed in 232 participants using an online survey to examine hypothesised relations between FoC and SoC, poorer mental health, Neuroticism (N), Extraversion (E) and Conscientiousness (C), and any resultant punitiveness. Measures were highly correlated, and an exploratory factor analysis summarised these as ‘instability’ and ‘crime attitude’ dimensions. A structural equation model found that high levels of N and poor mental health, as well as low levels of C, E and SoC were related to a latent variable of ‘distress’, which fed into heightened FoC. High levels of C further influenced FoC, which subsequently had an effect on individuals’ greater punitiveness. The current study supports the previous literature regarding variables that influence FoC and attitudes to punishment, and establishes novel associations involving personality.