Justifying Violence: Attitudes of American Men, 1969

This study contains data on the attitudes of 1,374 American men aged 16-64 toward violence in 1969. The study was undertaken to examine the levels of violence that can be viewed as justified to bring about social control or social change. Also emphasized were the role of the respondents' personal values, their definitions of violence, and their identification with the groups involved in violence. Some of the open-ended questions in the structured interview probed the respondents' general concerns, their attitudes toward violence, and their views on the causes of and ways of preventing violence. In questions grouped into categories of "violence for social control" and "violence for social change", respondents were asked to react to situations involving protests and other disturbances such as hoodlum gang disturbances, students' protests, and Black protest demonstrations. Repondents' opinions were sought on the appropriate police actions in these situations and the frequency with which certain control measures should be utilized. Respondents were also asked in three different situations whether they believed change could be effected without action involving property damage or injury, or if change could only be effected with protests in which some people were killed. Demographic variables describe age, sex, date of birth, nationality, occupation, education, religion, and family income. A supplementary sample of Black men is also included in this study in order to permit separate analysis on the basis of race.