معرفی
Rick Trinkner is an Associate Professor in the School of Criminology and Criminal Justice at Arizona State University. His research focuses on understanding why people follow rules and defer to authority, with particular emphasis on how regulatory agencies can foster support from those they serve. Much of his work examines how people, especially young adults, are socialized into rule-based institutions and how this shapes their views on authority legitimacy, legal values, and behavior governed by formal codes of conduct.
Trinkner earned his Ph.D. in Social Psychology from the University of New Hampshire. His academic journey has established him as a leading researcher in legal socialization processes and police legitimacy.
Dr. Trinkner's research interests span legal socialization, policing, procedural justice, legitimacy, authority, and group dynamics. His work explores how individuals develop relationships with legal authorities and how fair treatment by police and other institutions affects public perceptions and compliance with the law. He has made significant contributions to understanding how procedural justice operates across different contexts and populations, including adolescents, racial minorities, and international settings. His research often integrates theoretical frameworks with empirical testing to advance our understanding of legal socialization processes.
His recent publications demonstrate a strong focus on contemporary issues in policing and legitimacy, particularly examining the impact of high-profile incidents like the George Floyd murder on public perceptions of police. His work frequently employs sophisticated methodological approaches including longitudinal surveys across multiple states, factorial vignette designs, and cross-cultural comparisons to advance theoretical understanding of legal socialization processes.
Dr. Trinkner maintains the Legal Socialization Lab at Arizona State University, where he and his team conduct research on how individuals develop their relationship with the law through the acquisition of law-related values, attitudes, and reasoning capacities. He has co-authored the book 'Why children follow rules: Legal socialization and the development of legitimacy' (2017) with Tom R. Tyler, which explores how children and adolescents acquire law-related values that underlie the ability to consent to laws and defer to legal authorities.
