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

• 成果类型: Article
• 署名作者: Willems, Jurgen
• 署名单位: Vienna University of Economics & Business
• 刊物名称: PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION
• ISSN/ISSBN: 0033-3298
• DOI: 10.1111/padm.12686
• 发表日期: 2020
• 页码: 807-823
• 关键词: service motivation; conjunction fallacy; performance; attitudes; sector; satisfaction; nonprofit; accuracy; trust

摘要

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.