University of Twente Student Theses
The impact of the racist police officer stereotype on Dutch police officers' behaviour in stop-and- search scenarios: a randomized study with deepfake technology in virtual reality.
Siepenkort, Tobias (2023) The impact of the racist police officer stereotype on Dutch police officers' behaviour in stop-and- search scenarios: a randomized study with deepfake technology in virtual reality.
|
PDF
3MB |
| Abstract: | In recent years, high-profile incidences of racism, including ethnic profiling, in the police force and the subsequent fight against institutional racism have sparked the narrative of ‘the racist police officer’. Consequently, many police officers feel unjustly targeted and stigmatised as a group. Emotional responses can significantly impact individuals’ cognition and behaviours. Therefore, this study investigates how the racist stereotype influences police officers’ stop-and-search behaviour using VR and deepfake technology. The study was set up as a 2 (Ethnic background: yes versus no) x 2 (Racist stereotype: yes versus no) between participants design with stop-and-search behaviour as the dependent variable and stereotype threat and stigma feelings as potential mediators. Therefore, the study utilises mixed methods, including a questionnaire and a VR environment. The central analysis showed that neither the ethnic background nor the racist stereotype impacted police officers’ stop-and- search behaviour and that neither stereotype threat nor stigma feelings mediated this relationship. However, additional analyses revealed that, despite the situational racist stereotype confrontation, the mere presence of a person from an ethnic minority led police officers to avoid checking the person with a migration background and instead check a western-looking person. Based on these findings, the concept of Chronic Stereotype Reactance is introduced. This phenomenon describes that police officers who are frequently exposed to the racist stereotype display conduct opposing the racist stereotype to prevail one's individual and social positive values, following the confrontation with a person from an ethnic minority. This new conceptual model should be investigated in future research. Qualitative insights revealed that police officers feel strongly emotionally affected by public debates on racism in the police force, reporting unfair treatment and stigma, since the officers displaying misconduct remain to represent the minority. Based on this study, previous and future research, police officers and the public must be educated on how to deal with the racist stereotype to foster a more positive relationship between citizens and the police force which allows a more constructive fight against institutional racism and increases societal safety. |
| Item Type: | Essay (Bachelor) |
| Faculty: | BMS: Behavioural, Management and Social Sciences |
| Subject: | 77 psychology |
| Programme: | Psychology BSc (56604) |
| Link to this item: | https://purl.utwente.nl/essays/95925 |
| Export this item as: | BibTeX EndNote HTML Citation Reference Manager |
Show download statistics for this publication
Show download statistics for this publicationRepository Staff Only: item control page