Symbolic Bureaucratic Representation and Client Cooperation: Experimental Insights From Four Daily Public Service Scenarios in China

• 成果类型: Article
• 署名作者: Zhang, Youlang; Wang, Huan
• 署名单位: Renmin University of China; Communication University of China
• 刊物名称: PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION
• ISSN/ISSBN: 0033-3298
• DOI: 10.1111/padm.13042
• 发表日期: 2025
• 页码: 786-813
• 关键词: active representation; GENERATIONAL-DIFFERENCES; CITIZENS; GENDER; COMMUNICATION; coproduction; DIRECTIONS; increase; equity; accent

摘要

Representative bureaucracy studies have explored the potential impact of symbolic representation on clients' attitudes and behaviors, even in the absence of direct action by bureaucrats. Through four original conjoint experiments conducted with a nationally representative sample of 1600 participants in China, we analyze the symbolic representation effects of five most commonly observable identity signals, including gender, age, accent, party affiliation, and human voice (versus AI chatbot), across two types of bureaucrat-initiated contacts and two types of client-initiated contacts. Our findings contribute to the existing literature by demonstrating that identity congruence has heterogeneous symbolic representation effects; clients' expectations about active representation serve as a significant mediating factor influencing their willingness to cooperate with bureaucrats.