Personal And Psychological Factors As Predictors Of Organisational Attraction And Career Development Intention Of Police Recruits In South West, Nigeria

Abstract

This study investigated some personal and psychological factors as predictors of organizational attraction and career development intentions of police recruits in Southwest Nigeria. Using the descriptive survey research design, two research questions were asked and six hypotheses were tested. Data were collected using six validated instruments. Six hundred randomly selected police recruits undergoing training in police colleges and training schools across Southwest Nigeria participated in the study. Analysis of data was done using the multiple regression analysis and Pearson Product Moment Correlation (PPMC). Findings showed that there were both joint and relative influences of the predictions on the criterion variable. Findings also revealed that organizational attraction and career development intentions of police recruits were related to age and gender (personal factors); career aspiration, policing efficacy, pay satisfaction and self-actualization (psychological factors). Police recruits expressed enthusiasm over their career aspiration, policing efficacy, resentment in their pay satisfaction and concern for their self-actualized dream. The findings have implications for police practice and mentoring in Nigeria. Thus it is recommended that the Nigeria Police should be more professionalized, first by making its recruitment policies much more competitive, technical, scientific and psychological. Also screening in form of oral interview from a panel of credible and highly educated police and police psychologists should be put in place to screen recruits for emotional stability. This is a path towards professionalism of the Nigeria Police which is still lacking in the Nigeria Police.

Key Words: Police Recruits, Career aspiration, Policing efficacy, Pay satisfaction, Self-actualization