Advisor Information
Dr. Samantha Clinkinbeard
Location
MBSC 308
Presentation Type
Oral Presentation
Start Date
6-3-2020 10:30 AM
End Date
6-3-2020 11:45 AM
Abstract
Masculinity is pervasive in the field of policing, present in both the culture and organizational structure. As women continue to represent a low number of all sworn law enforcement officers, research has begun considering how culture and structural conditions interact with gender to affect women’s experiences in policing. This research suggests that many informal and formal practices in police culture, including the use of gendered jokes or sexist humor, work to exclude women and highlight the importance of gendered aspects of the job. However, little research has explored the extent to which humor and joking behavior explicitly interacts with women’s day-to-day experiences. Thus, the purpose of this paper is to expand upon the understanding of how support of workplace humor interacts with women’s experiences in policing using both philosophy of humor and Aker’s (1990; 1992) theory of gendered organizations. Specifically, the purpose of this paper is to explore the relationship between support of workplace humor and officers’ experiences of workplace incivilities. Preliminary analyses of officer surveys (n = 830) indicate that the extent to which officers endorse the use of humor is associated with the experience of workplace incivilities for females but not for males. Theoretical and practical implications are discussed.
Sometimes a Joke is Not Just a Joke: Examining the Role of Humor on Police Officers’ Workplace Experiences
MBSC 308
Masculinity is pervasive in the field of policing, present in both the culture and organizational structure. As women continue to represent a low number of all sworn law enforcement officers, research has begun considering how culture and structural conditions interact with gender to affect women’s experiences in policing. This research suggests that many informal and formal practices in police culture, including the use of gendered jokes or sexist humor, work to exclude women and highlight the importance of gendered aspects of the job. However, little research has explored the extent to which humor and joking behavior explicitly interacts with women’s day-to-day experiences. Thus, the purpose of this paper is to expand upon the understanding of how support of workplace humor interacts with women’s experiences in policing using both philosophy of humor and Aker’s (1990; 1992) theory of gendered organizations. Specifically, the purpose of this paper is to explore the relationship between support of workplace humor and officers’ experiences of workplace incivilities. Preliminary analyses of officer surveys (n = 830) indicate that the extent to which officers endorse the use of humor is associated with the experience of workplace incivilities for females but not for males. Theoretical and practical implications are discussed.