Date of Conferral

2022

Degree

Ph.D.

School

Psychology

Advisor

Wayne Wallace

Abstract

Interpersonal characteristics, including compassion and empathy, are an essential part of the relationship that police officers have with local communities. Historically, recruitment departments of law enforcement agencies have favored military veterans as candidates because of the similarities between the two professions, such as weapon handling and organizational structure. However, it is possible that prior military experience may negatively impact characteristics of compassion and empathy, given that military personnel are often exposed to conditions (e.g., combat) that can degrade compassion and empathy. The purpose of this study was to compare levels of compassion and empathy between police officers with and without military experience. A sample of N = 129 police officers were recruited from a large city in the Southern region of the United States, approximately half of whom did have prior military experience and the remainder did not. Participants completed a cross-sectional survey containing sociodemographic characteristics and measures of dispositional compassion and empathy. Data were analyzed using independent samples t tests and two-way ANOVAs. The results provided little evidence to suggest that police officers with and without prior military experience differed on overall compassion or overall empathy, and neither of these associations were moderated by law enforcement experience. Collectively, the findings do not support the notion that police officers with prior military experience have lower levels of compassion and empathy than those who do not. The finding may be used by police administrators to promote positive social change in hiring practices.

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