Negative perceptions of asking for support in law enforcement
| DOI | 10.1177/1461355715583004 |
| Author | Camela M Steinke,Alysa D Lambert |
| Published date | 01 June 2015 |
| Date | 01 June 2015 |
| Subject Matter | Articles |
Article
International Journal of
Police Science & Management
Negative perceptions of asking for
2015, Vol. 17(2) 134–144
ª The Author(s) 2015
support in law enforcement: Potential
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impact on benefit avoidance
DOI: 10.1177/1461355715583004
psm.sagepub.com
Alysa D Lambert
School of Business at Indiana University Southeast, New Albany, IN, USA
Camela M Steinke
LaSalle School, Albany, NY, USA
Abstract
Police culture can be extremely powerful and may dictate many of the behaviors required of an officer. Some behaviors
may be perceived as stigmatizing and engagement in these activities can cause the officer to feel ostracized. Using the
Conservation of Resources Theory, this research attempted to shed some light on the perceived effect of using
certain benefits and if this perception led to benefit avoidance (BA). This research also explored some potential
antecedents of BA (e.g. supervisory support). Results showed that officers do perceive a negative effect related to BU
and perceived supervisory and organizational support do impact BA.
Keywords
Employee benefits, job satisfaction, turnover, police, supervisory support
Submitted 13 Feb 2015, accepted 03 Mar 2015
Introduction
relation to benefits and benefit avoidance (BA). One
explanation for this is that the police culture itself
The distinctive environment that is law enforcement cre-
‘shields law enforcement insiders from persons perceived
ates a subculture of the population that is entirely unique
as being outsiders’ (Woody, 2005: 525). Although it is
(Woody, 2005). This culture, in many cases, imposes
anecdotally accepted that in most cultures negative stig-
norms that can be very different from more commonly
mas impact individual behavior, there is little research
accepted behaviors. Trandis (1994) defines culture as a ‘set
to confirm this within the law enforcement population.
of human-made objective and subjective elements’ that
The purpose of this article is to attempt to answer the fol-
help an individual survive successfully in society. Police
lowing questions using the Conservation of Resources
culture has been noted as being extremely powerful and
Theory (COR) (Hobfoll, 1989, 2001): Do officers avoid
taking on a colossal presence in the life of that officer
using benefits? Are there factors that influence BA
(Fielding, 1988; Ingram et al., 2013). With this in mind,
(e.g. supervisory support)? Does BA affect other job
it makes sense that an officer may make decisions based
variables?
on accepted norms and will choose to not engage in a beha-
vior that may be considered as deviant from conventional
officer practices. Following this, it is plausible, that if some
of the benefits available to police officers are considered as
culturally unacceptable (e.g. mental health services) then
Corresponding author:
the officer will not use these programs.
Camela M Steinke, LaSalle School, 391 Western Ave, Albany, NY 12203,
Even though every State and city has a police force
USA.
there is little research focused on this population in
Email: steinke@lasalle-school.org
Lambert and Steinke
135
Conservation of resources theory
socialization and group connectedness helps to replenish
and maintain necessary resources. When these resources
COR (Hobfoll, 1989, 2001) supplies the theoretical foun-
are depleted or are unavailable (e.g. poor supervisory sup-
dation for this study. The main tenet of this theory is that
port) then there can be negative consequences.
individuals have resources that are valuable to them.
A large part of police culture is male-dominated and as
Moreover, individuals have a desire to attain more, pro-
such this culture may affect the officer’s avoidance of
tect and invest (use) resources with the expectation that
benefits. Research indicates that men are less likely to
the investment will result in a return or replenishment
seek various kinds of help for issues such as depression
of the resources.
and psychological symptoms (Husaini et al., 1994; Padesky
COR can be divided into five resource categories: work,
and Hammen, 1981) and substance abuse (McKay et al.,
personal, energy, material and interpersonal resources.
1996; Thom, 1986). Men also seek psychiatric services/
Work resources include benefits available and needed
counselling less often than women (Gove, 1984; Kessler
resources to complete job tasks. Personal resources include
et al., 1981; Vessey and Howard, 1993). Addis and Mahalik
feelings of achievement and self-esteem. Energy resources
(2003) suggest that this may be due to gender-role socializa-
include effort and time spent on tasks. Material resources
tion (what is expected/acceptable for each gender) resulting
include
financial
stability/security
and
interpersonal
in an environment that is not conducive to asking for help, or
resources refers to friendships and support from others.
asking for certain kinds of help. They go on to suggest that
COR proposes that when a person’s finite resources are
the reactions of others and potential losses as the result of
in jeopardy or are perceived to be insufficient then negative
asking for help greatly affect the likelihood that help is
outcomes are likely to occur (Grandey and Cropanzano,
sought or that available benefits are used. The authors’
1999; Hobfoll and Shirom, 2001). Drawing on COR theory,
proposition is in line with Goffman’s work on stigma
we believe that interpersonal resources are likely to be
(1963), wherein the person restricts their actions for fear
threatened for workers who perceive poor supervisory and
of the social repercussions and potential ostracism. As a
organizational support and this may result in an increased
result of the effect of masculinity on help seeking and the
negative attitude towards using available benefits (e.g.
masculine culture that is pervasive in the police culture,
increased BA) and thus a reduction in the work resources
officers may avoid the use of certain benefits for fear of
police officers are willing to use.
the perceived stigma that it may cause.
Although the research on BA of police officers is
somewhat limited, it supports the notion that officers are
Police culture
wary of the potential stigma that may be associated with
Research on police culture is extensive (Heidensohn,
using certain benefits. Baker and Baker (1996) suggested
1992) and is defined as the ways in which police react
two major obstacles officers must overcome before they
to the environments in which they work (Terrill et al.,
will use benefits. The first issue is the denial of problems.
2003). The organizational environment is comprised of
The second obstacle to benefits use is the fear that, having
the interactions between the officers, their superiors and
acknowledged the problem, using the benefit would result
other officers. Officer interactions with the public, includ-
in public ridicule. This fear of a negative perception
ing the dangerous situations in which they may find them-
makes it difficult for officers to get the help that they need
selves, comprise the occupational environment. These
to deal with the stress of their occupations.
environments cause stress for the officers, and as a result,
they have to adapt (Skolnick, 1994; Van Maanen, 1974;
Use of benefits
Westley 1970). This can result in social isolation and
group loyalty (Brown 1988; Westley, 1970). The social
Exploring benefits use has become more prominent in
distance between officers and the public that results from
recent years because benefits can make up as much as
needing constant vigilance would be difficult to manage if
30–40% of a person’s overall compensation (Dessler,
it were not for the occupational culture of policing
2011). Unfortunately, there is little empirical research
(Skolnick and Gray, 1975; Van Maanen, 1974). Because
about benefits use or lack of use and the reasons surround-
other officers must deal with the same situations every
ing an individual’s decision not to take advantage of
day, a strong bond develops between those that under-
needed benefits. There is even less research on police offi-
stand what it is like to be an officer (Skolnick and Gray,
cers avoidance of benefits, but the little that does exist
1975). In support of this, Skolnick et al. (2005) point out
suggests that the use of certain benefits is perceived as
that police officers tend to be more comfortable around
stigmatizing. As previously discussed, the use of certain
other police officers and thus, have a propensity to socia-
benefits, particularly mental health services, is feared to
lize
with
one
another.
According
to
COR,
this
result in repercussions (Baker and Baker, 1986; Church
136
International Journal of Police Science & Management 17(2)
and Robertson, 1999; Graf, 1986; He et al., 2002). This
consumption. Supervisory support has also been linked to
indicates that officers see the use of certain services as
lower work–family conflict (Eby et al., 2005; Thomas and
potentially leading to negative perception of themselves.
Ganster, 1995), increased organizational commitment
(Friedman et al., 1998), increased perceived organizational
support (Kikta and Tetrick, 2005; Rhoades and Eisenber-
Coping
ger, 2002), and has an indirect relationship on turnover
In most cases, benefits are seen as a coping mechanism (i.e.
through perceived organizational support (Eisenberger
Lambert et al., 2008). This idea of benefits as a coping
et al., 2002).
mechanism is also supported by...
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