Females in Law Enforcement

Abstract

Photographs and biographical descriptions of female deputy strangers were used to examine the effects of feminity and competence on male deputy attraction to and work acceptance of female deputies. Repeated measures were obtained for patrol work acceptance, staff work acceptance, and personal attraction. Four different but equally attractive females were employed to yield four experimental condition categories: feminine-competent, feminine-incompetent, masculine-competent, and masculine-in-competent. Each female was used in all photo-biograph combinations, though male subjects were only exposed to one combination. Results indicated that effects of pose and biograph were significantly different in each of the repeated measurements. Findings included an attraction preference for feminine-competent female deputies, and greater tolerance of feminine-incompetent female deputies for staff work than for patrol work.

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