Exploring Differing Experiences of a Masculinity Contest Culture in Policing and the Impact on Individual and Organizational Outcomes

• Published date: 01 September 2021
• Date: 01 September 2021
• Author: Angela L. Workman-Stark
• DOI: 10.1177/1098611120976090
• Subject Matter: Articles

Article

Exploring Differing

Experiences of a

Masculinity Contest

Culture in Policing and

the Impact on Individual

and Organizational

Outcomes

Angela L. Workman-Stark

1

Abstract

Despite increasing allegations of misconduct, police organizations continue to over-

look the environmental factors that contribute to harassment and other forms of

misconduct. Using secondary survey data collected from a Canadian police organi-

zation (N¼488), this study explored the specific factors that might contribute to

masculinity contest cultures (i.e., cultures akin to a zero-sum competition with rules

defined by masculine norms; MCCs). This study also examined whether MCC norms

are experienced differently based on level within the organization, occupational role,

and employee sex. The study findings suggest that MCC norms may be amplified by a

shortage of personnel, and certain policies and practices that pit members against

each other. The study also found that MCC norms are not necessarily perceived in

the same way. For instance, female and frontline police officers were more likely to

perceive their workplace as a MCC. Female officers were also more likely to expe-

rience harassing behaviors. This study makes a significant contribution to research

and practice as it advances our understanding of MCCs within policing and how they

might be changed.

1

Faculty of Business, Athabasca University, Athabasca, Alberta, Canada

Corresponding Author:

Angela L. Workman-Stark, Faculty of Business, Athabasca University, Athabasca, Alberta, Canada.

Email: angela.workman-stark@athabascau.ca

Police Quarterly

2021, Vol. 24(3) 298–324

!The Author(s) 2020

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DOI: 10.1177/1098611120976090

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Keywords

masculinity contest culture, masculinity, harassment

In recent years, police organizations have faced increasing allegations of dis-

crimination and harassment. For instance, several reports have documented the

negative experiences of female officers in various police organizations across

Canada (Bueckert, 2017; Hasham, 2016; Ontario Human Rights Commission,

2015; Pearson, 2019; Prowse, 2013; Smith, 2012; Trinh, 2020). Examples also

abound of costly discrimination and harassment-related lawsuits, such as the

recent settlement of two $100 million class-action lawsuits brought forth by

current and former female members of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police

(Azpiri, 2020). More recently, the rise of the #BlackLivesMatter movement has

placed a significant spotlight on various forms of external misconduct, primarily

the excessive use of force and discrimination against Black and Indigenous

people in Canada (Forester, 2020). Although these two forms of misconduct

are seemingly unrelated, an investigation of a police organization, following the

police-involved shooting of an unarmed Black man in the United States, found

evidence of an internal culture of harassment and bullying (US DOJ, 2015).

Survey studies have shown a high incidence of harassment in male dominated

occupations, such as policing (Fitzgerald et al., 1999), that not only value mas-

culinity over femininity, but often define and prize specific forms of masculinity,

including “competitiveness, assertiveness, physical strength, aggression, risk-

taking, courage, heterosexuality, and lack of feminine traits” (Willer et al.,

2013, p. 983). In these environments, men (and women) are often expected to

prove their manhood (i.e., compete in a masculinity contest—a zero-sum com-

petition with rules defined by masculine norms; Berdahl et al., 2018) by behav-

ing in accordance with these desirable forms of masculinity. In such a context,

winners are more likely to be straight, white men (Rudman et al., 2012), who

tend to be rewarded with higher status jobs and positions of power (Kerfoot &

Knights, 1993; Prokos & Padavic, 2002), whereas the losers are often women

and men from marginalized groups (Livingston & Pearce, 2009).

To help identify masculinity contest cultures and their costs for both individ-

uals and organizations, Berdahl et al. (2018) developed the Masculinity Contest

Culture (MCC) scale. This scale is comprised of four distinct, but highly corre-

lated dimensions: dog-eat-dog (ruthless competition), put work first (an expec-

tation of total devotion to work over family or other outside obligations),

strength and stamina (equating strength and stamina with status), and show no

weakness (pressure to avoid vulnerable emotions or uncertainty) (Berdahl et al.,

2018). Initial testing demonstrated that the MCC scale correlated with greater

organizational dysfunction, negative behavior, and poorer individual outcomes

Workman-Stark 299