The role of personality and the need for cognitive closure in shaping punitiveness to crime

Abstract

Despite the prevailing negative reactions towards offenders, few studies have investigated the role of psychological factors in shaping punitiveness. The present study explored the effects of personality domains and the need for cognitive closure on punitive attitudes. The sample included 505 individuals (56.8 % women) from the general population in Italy. A self-report questionnaire gathered information on sociodemographic characteristics, personality domains, need for cognitive closure, and punitiveness. A hierarchical multiple regression analysis showed that being female, having a lower level of education and conservative political views were significant predictors of punitive attitudes. Higher need for cognitive closure, extraversion, and conscientiousness and lower open-mindedness were also predictors of punitiveness. These findings underscore the importance of raising awareness of how individuals' attitudes towards crime and punishment are guided by their psychological characteristics, as how they think and feel about crime influences their perspectives on suitable responses.