Articlehybrid2020

Public servant stereotypes: It is not (at) all about being lazy, greedy and corrupt

70 citations0/0 files storedPublic Administration

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Public Policy and Administration Research Social and Intergroup Psychology European Cultural and National Identity

Abstract

Abstract As stereotypes strongly influence social interactions, this study explores the stereotypical associations regarding public servants, and about various professions in the public sector as well as the for‐profit and nonprofit sectors. This leads to a better understanding of the theoretical and practical challenges, such as citizen behaviour towards public servants, attractiveness of and political decisions about public service jobs. With a mixed‐method analysis of cognitive associations (7,470 associations by 415 respondents for 12 professions), the defining epithets of public servants are clarified, along with their positive or negative connotation. Despite the strongest associations for public servants being positive (caring, helpful and dedicated), as an overall category, it has a less positive connotation compared to some specific professions typical in the public sector (nurse, firefighter and police). However, cognitive associations are substantially more positive for public servants compared to politicians, lawyers and salesmen.

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References

1995Stereotype threat and the intellectual test performance of African Americans.1983Extensional versus intuitive reasoning: The conjunction fallacy in probability judgment.1990The Motivational Bases of Public Service 2009Homo Heuristicus: Why Biased Minds Make Better Inferences 2007Understanding attitudes towards public transport and private car: A qualitative study 2017Gender Stereotypes 1991How to Make Cognitive Illusions Disappear: Beyond “Heuristics and Biases”1996STEREOTYPES

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