Collective Efficacy and Norm Violation: An Experimental Test

罗斯松田华盛顿大学这个项目研究了社会科学理论和刑事司法政策的一个重要问题：一个社区的混乱会助长犯罪和越轨行为吗？还是说社区效能对混乱和犯罪都负有责任？研究人员通过在不同社会资本和社区效率的社区中嵌入实地实验来解决这个问题。这些问题的答案具有重要的智力回报和政策意义。在智力上，该项目将为犯罪学中的破窗假说和集体效能假说提供一个重要的检验，即紊乱是犯罪和违反规范的原因，紊乱和犯罪都是由社区效能引起的，因此，紊乱与犯罪有虚假的联系。由于采用实验方法，该项目将产生比以往研究更有力的因果关系陈述。该项目具有重要的政策意义。如果混乱直接导致犯罪，那么就应该实行零容忍政策，把重点放在清理街上的乞丐、破碎的窗户、涂鸦等混乱迹象上。如果混乱和犯罪没有因果关系，而是由社区效能引起的，那么就需要社区赋权政策来增加社区资源、社会联系和公民参与。研究人员正在将不同的和代表性不足的学生纳入研究过程，并与西雅图市合作传播他们的结果。为了检验破窗理论与集体效能的对立，研究人员将在多个社区进行实验，利用他们对集体效能和劣势的调查措施。五个实验将检验混乱的存在（地上的涂鸦和垃圾）是否会影响违反规范的行为。(1)投寄信件，在123个人口普查区各投寄24封已贴上邮票的地址信件。一半将被丢弃在涂鸦的视线范围内。邮件回复率提供了集体效能的衡量标准，也测试了身体障碍（涂鸦）是否会阻碍亲社会活动。(2)“信封丢失实验”，将一个信封放在邮箱附近，信封里装着一张可见的5美元钞票，路人可以忽略信封，也可以寄出去，或者偷走信封。治疗条件是附近的涂鸦和垃圾，测试混乱是否会促进盗窃和阻碍亲社会行为。(3)一个“垃圾摄像头”，其中一个延时摄像头将记录在充满垃圾的环境中清理垃圾的时间。经过测试的假设是，在集体有效的社区中，清理的时间会更短。治疗条件“附近涂鸦”测试额外的混乱是否会阻碍集体效能的行为。(4)在乱扔垃圾时进行干预，观察一名同盟者（不同种族和性别）在当地路人面前乱扔垃圾。结果就是路人是否会打断同盟者。我们检验了这一假设，即凋落物的种族/性别与干预者的种族/性别相互作用。(5)在车内乱扔传单，即放置在停放车辆挡风玻璃上的传单被乱扔或不乱扔。治疗方法，紊乱（涂鸦），验证了破窗假说。

SES- 1625273Ross MatsuedaUniversity of WashingtonThis project examines an important question for social science theory and criminal justice policy: Does disorder in a community foster criminal and deviant behavior. Or is community efficacy responsible for both disorder and crime. The researchers approach this question by embedding field experiments with neighborhoods that vary by social capital and community efficacy. The answers to these questions have important intellectual payoffs and policy implications. Intellectually, the project will provide an important test of the broken windows hypothesis in criminology disorder is a cause of crime and norm violations versus the collective efficacy hypothesis disorder and crime are each caused by community efficacy, and therefore, disorder is spuriously related to crime. The project will yield stronger causal statements than previous research because it uses experimental methods. The project has important policy implications. If disorder causes crime directly, then zero-tolerance policing in which police focus on cleaning up streets of panhandlers, broken windows, graffiti, and other signs of disorder is called for. If disorder and crime are not causally related but are instead each caused by community efficacy, then policies of community empowerment increasing community resources, social ties, and civic participation are called for. The researchers are incorporating diverse and underrepresented students in the research process and working with the city of Seattle to disseminate their results.To test broken windows theory against collective efficacy, the investigators will conduct experiments in multiple neighborhoods, capitalizing on their survey measures of collective efficacy and disadvantage. Five experiments will examine whether the presence of disorder (graffiti and litter on the ground)affects norm violating behavior. (1) A Letter Drop, in which 24 stamped addressed letters are dropped in each of 123 census tracts. Half will be dropped within sight of graffiti. The mail back rate provides a measure of collective efficacy, as well as a test of whether physical disorder (graffiti) impedes prosocial activity. (2) A Lost Envelope Experiment, in which an envelope with a visible $5 bill enclosed is placed near a mailbox, and passersby can either ignore, mail or steal the envelope. The treatment condition, graffiti and litter nearby, tests whether disorder promotes theft and impedes prosocial behavior. (3) A "Litter Cam," in which a time-elapse camera will record time-to-cleanup in a setting filled with litter. The hypothesis tested is that time to clean up will be shorter in collectively efficacious neighborhoods. The treatment condition "graffiti in the vicinity" tests whether additional disorder impedes acts of collective efficacy. (4) Intervening During an Act of Littering, in which a confederate (varied by race and gender) is observed littering in front of local passersby. The outcome is whether passersby interrupt the confederate. We test the hypothesis that the race/gender of the litterer interacts with the race/gender of the intervener. (5) Littering a Flyer on a Car, in which a flyer placed on windshields of parked cars is either littered or not. The treatment, disorder (graffiti), tests the broken windows hypothesis.