Evaluations of Eight Communication Skills in Police–Civilian Interactions

Abstract

To create a framework encompassing a broad spectrum of police communication skills, our study utilized the Communicative Function Questionnaire, a validated tool from communication studies. Two cross-sectional surveys with 627 participants in China assessed the perceived importance of eight communication skills in police–civilian interactions. Study 1 indicated potential undervaluation of skills by police compared with civilians, although both groups rated them as moderately important or higher. Study 2 categorized police communication skills into two categories: functional (referential, regulative, conflict management) and relational (comforting, ego support, conversational, persuasive, narrative), with civilians favoring functional skills. Furthermore, our investigation into demographic influences on the evaluation of relational skills revealed that any of the following groups: men, individuals over 25, or residents of certain regions, placed a higher value on relational skills. Our findings highlight the importance of functional skills and suggest strategically developing relational skills tailored to the preferences of diverse demographic groups.