Research on symbolic representation suggests that citizen–state interactions might benefit from public organizations' representativeness. Recent experiments on symbolic gender representation provide contradictory findings regarding the influence on citizens' co‐production intentions. This study conducts a wide replication based on new data to reexamine the positive impact of symbolic gender representation identified by Riccucci et al. (2016, Public Administration Review, 76(1), pp. 121–130). The applied survey experiment closely resembles the original design aspects. The experiment is set in criminal justice policy, a policy field featuring co‐production of core public services such as prisoner rehabilitation. The results do not confirm a positive effect of symbolic gender representation on willingness to co‐produce. Instead, several arguments point to citizens' perceptions of uncertainty related to the co‐production context and procedures as a boundary condition for the effects of symbolic gender representation.

BackgroundMultiple factors influence the decision to enter a career in medicine and choose a specialty. Previous studies have looked at personality differences in medicine but often were unable to describe the heterogeneity that exists within each specialty. Our study used a person-centered approach to characterize the complex relations between the personality profiles of resident physicians and their choice of specialty.Methods169 resident physicians at a large Midwestern US training hospital completed the Temperament and Character Inventory (TCI) and the Satisfaction with Life Scale (SWLS). Clusters of personality profiles were identified without regard to medical specialty, and then the personality clusters were tested for association with their choice of specialty by co-clustering analysis. Life satisfaction was tested for association with personality traits and medical specialty by linear regression and analysis of variance.ResultsWe identified five clusters of people with distinct personality profiles, and found that these were associated with particular medical specialties Physicians with an “investigative” personality profile often chose pathology or internal medicine, those with a “commanding” personality often chose general surgery, “rescuers” often chose emergency medicine, the “dependable” often chose pediatrics, and the “compassionate” often chose psychiatry. Life satisfaction scores were not enhanced by personality-specialty congruence, but were related strongly to self-directedness regardless of specialty.ConclusionsThe personality profiles of physicians were strongly associated with their medical specialty choices. Nevertheless, the relationships were complex: physicians with each personality profile went into a variety of medical specialties, and physicians in each medical specialty had variable personality profiles. The plasticity and resilience of physicians were more important for their life satisfaction than was matching personality to the prototype of a particular specialty.

Job advertisements are a crucial first step in the recruitment process. Public sector organizations overwhelmingly rely on passive recruitment tactics such as written notices, listing formal rules and legal processes, and excessive application procedures. Little is known about the signals these formal rules and procedures send to potential applicants. This research uses a survey experiment to examine the effects of formalization and administrative burden in public sector job advertisements on individuals’ intention to apply for a job and the moderating role of public service motivation, person–organization fit, and person–job fit. The results indicate that formalization leads to lower application intentions. Administrative burdens such as compliance costs do not have a significant effect. These findings emphasize the negative signal of formalization in public sector job advertisements, which has the effect of making these jobs less desirable to potential applicants.

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The authors examine whether conformity towards prevailing public opinions and pre-existing blame influences citizens’ attribution of blame for public service failure, by using a between-group experimental design with five groups. Two groups received information cues mentioning different public opinions. Two additional groups received information on pre-existing blame or the absence of such blame. One control group did not receive any information. The empirical analysis reveals that public opinion in favor of blame leads to increased blame attribution, while a contrary public opinion decreases citizens’ blame. Likewise, the expected increase in citizens’ blame resulting from pre-existing blame is supported. However, the absence of blame has no effect. Overall, the experiment supports the impact of conformity on citizens' blame. In addition, the literature on citizens’ blame is extended by utilizing a citizen-centered perspective and taking social psychological theory into account.