TY - JOUR

T1 - Citizen Self-Presentation and Aggression in Ticket Fining Events

T2 - A Video Observational Study

AU - Friis, Camilla Bank

AU - Lindegaard, Marie Rosenkrantz

PY - 2022

Y1 - 2022

N2 - Despite the risk of employee victimization, research on deviant citizen behavior in frontline encounters is limited. When passengers are issued a fine on the bus, they sometimes respond aggressively toward the ticket inspector. This article identifies how citizens present themselves in ticket fining events and examines how their self-representations are related with aggressive acts toward frontline workers. Data comprise video footage of 40 events recorded with occupational body-worn cameras from public buses in Denmark. Using in-depth qualitative video analysis, the study systematically analyzes the encounters for citizen self-presentation and aggression. Five self-presentation types are identified, comprising passengers appearing innocent, honest, wronged, defiant, or superior in the inspector encounters. In aggressive events, passengers in particular perform the defiant and superior self-presentation types and typically perform more types than in the nonaggressive events. The findings yield insights into aggressive frontline encounters with an enlarged understanding of the range of reactions and counterattacks during these events. Recognizing these presentations and changing responses could help frontline workers prevent exposure to aggression on the job.

AB - Despite the risk of employee victimization, research on deviant citizen behavior in frontline encounters is limited. When passengers are issued a fine on the bus, they sometimes respond aggressively toward the ticket inspector. This article identifies how citizens present themselves in ticket fining events and examines how their self-representations are related with aggressive acts toward frontline workers. Data comprise video footage of 40 events recorded with occupational body-worn cameras from public buses in Denmark. Using in-depth qualitative video analysis, the study systematically analyzes the encounters for citizen self-presentation and aggression. Five self-presentation types are identified, comprising passengers appearing innocent, honest, wronged, defiant, or superior in the inspector encounters. In aggressive events, passengers in particular perform the defiant and superior self-presentation types and typically perform more types than in the nonaggressive events. The findings yield insights into aggressive frontline encounters with an enlarged understanding of the range of reactions and counterattacks during these events. Recognizing these presentations and changing responses could help frontline workers prevent exposure to aggression on the job.

KW - Faculty of Social Sciences

KW - frontline work

KW - defensive self

KW - citizen behavior

KW - contested encounters

KW - conflict

U2 - 10.1080/01639625.2021.1921559

DO - 10.1080/01639625.2021.1921559

M3 - Journal article

VL - 43

SP - 897

EP - 911

JO - Deviant Behavior

JF - Deviant Behavior

SN - 0163-9625

IS - 8

ER -