Research Symposium

BIO

Elisabeth Mahepaul is a sophomore, majoring in Behavioral Neuroscience with minors in Chemistry and Childhood Development. She is currently a research assistant within the March Lab, working under Dr. David March and graduate students: Vincenzo J. Olivett, Patrick J. Oefelein, and Maria C. Gullesserian. Elisabeth has presented at multiple research conferences, such as the Society of Southeastern Social Psychologists in St. Petersburg, Florida and the First Undergraduate Research Symposium at the University of North Florida. She is currently a Certified Clinical Medical Assistant, pursuing a career in medicine, with prospective specialization in psychiatry.

The Civilian’s Dilemma: Civilians Exhibit Automatic Defensive Responses to the Police

Abstract

Physical violence is a consistent offspring of civilian-police interactions, with both parties existing on the receiving and presenting end. The goal of the following work is to examine the threat perception of said violence from the civilian's perspective, bridging the gap between police and civilian experience of threat. The investigation consisted of three studies (N=603), utilizing approach-avoidance tasks, assessments of postural sway, and facial electromyography. Study 1 assessed avoidance of police versus non-police, Study 2 targeted a defensive motor freeze response, and Study 3 evaluated startle reflexes. The studies concurrently cemented the notion that police (opposed to non-police) consistently evoke defensive physiological responses from civilians. The implications lie within the motivations of civilians, specifically the idea that 'resistance' may sometimes derive from innate defensive measures, opposed to noncompliance. Police retribution occurs in response to noncompliance, a perceived threat- threat that may be easily explained by physiological reaction.

Keywords: Prejudice, Threat