Perceived burdens of interacting with public authorities: How does it influence citizens' state-encounter behavior?

TY - JOUR

T1 - Perceived burdens of interacting with public authorities

T2 - How does it influence citizens' state-encounter behavior?

AU - Nielsen, Vibeke Lehmann

AU - Nielsen, Helle Oersted

PY - 2024/10

Y1 - 2024/10

N2 - Much research has shown that implementation behavior of frontline workers and the outcomes of public policies depend on encounters between frontline workers and citizens. However, relatively little is known about the agency of citizens in these encounters. This paper focuses on administrative burdens and psychological responses to stress as possible determinants of citizens' encounter behavior—defined as “behavioral efforts citizens employ during and in preparing for interaction with public authorities in order to master the demands of the public encounter.” Combining a framework categorizing citizens' state-encounter behavior and theory about administrative burdens, we ask whether citizens' behavior reflects their perceptions of administrative burdens, and whether learning, psychological and compliance burdens prompt different encounter behaviors? We use data from surveys among a representative sample of 1460 Danish citizens regarding encounters with tax and home care authorities. We find that perceived administrative burdens affect citizens' behavior, but contrary to expectations, we do not find that burdens discourage citizens from engaging with authorities. Higher perceived burdens tend to prompt activist behavior. Moreover, different types of burdens affect behaviors differently.

AB - Much research has shown that implementation behavior of frontline workers and the outcomes of public policies depend on encounters between frontline workers and citizens. However, relatively little is known about the agency of citizens in these encounters. This paper focuses on administrative burdens and psychological responses to stress as possible determinants of citizens' encounter behavior—defined as “behavioral efforts citizens employ during and in preparing for interaction with public authorities in order to master the demands of the public encounter.” Combining a framework categorizing citizens' state-encounter behavior and theory about administrative burdens, we ask whether citizens' behavior reflects their perceptions of administrative burdens, and whether learning, psychological and compliance burdens prompt different encounter behaviors? We use data from surveys among a representative sample of 1460 Danish citizens regarding encounters with tax and home care authorities. We find that perceived administrative burdens affect citizens' behavior, but contrary to expectations, we do not find that burdens discourage citizens from engaging with authorities. Higher perceived burdens tend to prompt activist behavior. Moreover, different types of burdens affect behaviors differently.

KW - administrative burdens

KW - citizen behaviour

KW - citizen-state encounters

KW - reactions to stressful events

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85188299476&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1111/ijsw.12663

DO - 10.1111/ijsw.12663

M3 - Journal article

SN - 1369-6866

VL - 33

SP - 858

EP - 879

JO - International Journal of Social Welfare

JF - International Journal of Social Welfare

IS - 4

ER -