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ANTISOCIAL ATIITUDES AND ANTISOCIAL BEHAVIOUR: 

AN INVESTIGATION OF ANTISOCIAL ATIITUDES 

IN A NEW ZEALAND 

NON-OFFENDER SAMPLE 

A thesis presented in partial fulfillment of the requirements 

for the degree of Master of Arts in Psychology 

at Massey University, Albany 

REBECCA CARGILL 

2004 



ii 

ABSTRACT 

The purpose of the present study was to investigate the extent of antisocial attitudes 

present in a non-offender sample, using the Measures of Criminal Attitudes and 

Associates (MCAA) and the Criminal Sentiments Scale-Modified (CSS-M). Despite 

the recognition of the importance of antisocial attitudes for predicting criminal and 

antisocial behaviour, there is a lack agreement on the specific conceptualisation of 

antisocial attitudes. Although there is promising research using reliable and valid 

attitude measures with offenders, it is unsure whether these attitudes are specific to 

offenders, and can be used to differentiate between offending and non-offending 

groups. In addition, these attitude measures have been used little with offenders, or 

non-offenders in New Zealand. The College of Education students in the present 

study were found to have less antisocial attitudes than Canadian offenders, but had 

more antisocial attitudes than expected. It was also found that antisocial attitudes as 

measured by the MCAA, could significantly explain antisocial behaviour in this 

sample, as measured by the Self-Report Early Delinquency Instrument (SRED). 

Issues with particular items on the MCAA and CSS-M are explored and it is 

suggested that these measures may need to be modified for use with a New Zealand 

population. However the MCAA shows promise in explaining antisocial behaviour, 

and its potential uses are explored. Implications for the assessment and treatment of 

offenders are discussed, as well as future directions for antisocial attitudes research. 



iii 

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS 

I would like to thank my supervisor Mei Williams for all her constructive suggestions 

and challenges to assumptions. Without your support, this thesis would not have 

progressed. I thank you for your willingness to give time, even though you had many 

other things to worry about. Your promptness and availability was much appreciated. 

Thank you to Linda Kemp in the Psychology department at Albany for all your help 

with organizing printing, funding, and all other administrative requirements. The 

support you give to all students is much appreciated. The University provided 

funding for the costs of this project and that assistance was greatly appreciated. 

Thank you to the students at the Auckland College of Education, whose willing 

participation made this thesis possible. My particular thanks goes to all those staff 

who facilitated access to students, especially those staff who allowed class time for 

me to administer the questionnaire. Thanks to Patricia O'Brien for sending me in the 

right direction, Margaret Turnbull for negotiating with departments, and Robin Fox, 

Sandra Chandler, and Isabel Browne for negotiating with staff in their department on 

my behalf. 

I would also like to thank my partner, Dan, for his support and understanding, and all 

those everyday ways he reduced stress. Thank you to Tracy for your critical eye. 

Thanks also to my family and friends who were always there to talk and offer some 

"time out." Thanks for believing in me. 



iv 

TABLE OF CONTENTS 

Page 

Abstract 

Acknowledgements 

Table of Contents 

List of Tables 

ii 

iii 

iv 

vii 

CHAPTERl 

INTRODUCTION 

1.1 Crime 1 

1.2 Definitions - Antisocial Attitudes, Criminal Behaviour 

and Offenders 1 

1.3 Personality and Attitudes 3 

CHAPTER2 

ANTISOCIAL ATTITUDES 

2.1 Antisocial Attitudes in Theories of Crime 5 

2.2 Research in Antisocial Attitudes and Criminal Conduct 6 

2.3 Measures of Criminal Attitudes . .. 9 

2.4 Limitations of Current Attitude Measures 13 

2.5 Measuring Criminal Behaviour 14 

2.6 Inconsistencies in the Attitude-Behaviour Relationship 16 

2. 7 Why Are Attitudes Important? - Treatment and Prediction 19 

CHAPTER3 

THE PRESENT STUDY 

3.1 Aims and Hypotheses 23 



v 

Page 

CHAPTER4 

METHOD 

4.1 Participants 25 

4.2 Measures 26 

Measures of Criminal Attitudes and Associates 26 

Criminal Sentiments Scale-Modified 28 

Self-Report Early Delinquency Instrument 29 

4.3 Procedure . . . 30 

CHAYfERS 

RESULTS 

5.1 Data Screening 32 

5.2 Antisocial Attitudes 33 

5.3 Antisocial Behaviour 36 

5.4 Antisocial Attitudes - Comparison with other Studies 38 

5.5 The Relationship between Antisocial Attitudes and 

Antisocial Behaviour 40 

CHAYfER6 

DISCUSSION 

6.1 The Presence of Antisocial Attitudes 44 

6.2 The Relationship between the MCAA and the CSS-M 46 

6.3 The Relationship between Antisocial Attitudes and 

Antisocial Behaviour 

6.4 Justification and Rationalisation 

6.5 Appropriateness of the Antisocial Attitude Measures For 

New Zealand 

6.6 Implications and Future Directions 

6. 7 limitations of the Current Study 

6.8 Summary and Conclusion 

46 

49 

50 

53 

56 

59 



vi 

Page 

REFERENCES 60 

APPENDIX A Measure of Criminal Attitudes and Associates 70 

APPENDIXB Criminal Sentiments Scale-Modified ... 74 

APPENDIXC Self-Report Early Delinquency Instrument (shortened) 78 

APPENDIXD Information Sheet for Participants 81 

APPENDIXE Hierarchical Multiple Regression Tables 84 



vii 

LIST OF TABLES 

Page 

Table 1 Demographic Statistics for the Sample 26 

Table 2 Correlations between the Attitude Scales 35 

Table 3 Frequency of Endorsement of Each of the Items on the SRED in 

This Study Compared with Those of Adolescents in the Primary 

Validation Study 37 

Table 4 Descriptive Statistics for the MCAA and the CSS-M 38 

Table 5 Comparison of the Mean Total Scores on the MCAA and the 

CSS-M Found in the Present Study with Scores from Previous 

Studies with Offenders 39 

Table 6 Comparison of the Mean Subscale Scores on the MCAA and the 

CSS-M Found in the Present Study with Scores from Previous 

Studies with Offenders 40 

Table 7 Correlations between Antisocial Measures and Antisocial 

Behaviour 41 

Table 8 Summary of Hierarchical Regression Analysis for Variables 

Predicting Scores on the SRED (N = 181) 42 

Table 9 Correlations between Justification and Rationalisation Items 

on the MCAA, and the SRED 43