Predicting Social Representation of Women in Police: A Cross-Sectional Study of Identity Leadership, Glass Cliff Perception and Organizational Commitment in Police Officers of Punjab Pakistan

Authors

  • Shabana Parveen PhD Scholar, Department of Psychology, International Islamic University, Islamabad, Pakistan.
  • Bushra Hassan Assistant Professor, Department of Psychology, International Islamic University, Islamabad, Pakistan.
  • Nazia Iqbal Associate Professor, Department of Psychology, International Islamic University, Islamabad, Pakistan. https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7147-3444

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.52053/jpap.v7i1.497

Keywords:

Gender Differences, Glass Cliff Perception, Identity Leadership, Law Enforcement, Organizational Commitment, Pakistan, Women in Policing

Abstract

The current research involved the analysis of identity leadership, glass cliff perception and organizational commitment of police officers in Punjab, Pakistan. The research was based on the context of policing as a male dominated institution where the perceptions and experiences of gendered leadership and organizational life can be relevant to employee attitudes and commitment. A correlational cross-sectional design was used and a sample of 300 police officers was taken by using purposive and convenience sampling methods. The standardized tools were Imagery of Women in Police Scale, Glass Cliff Perception Scale, Identity Leadership Inventory, and Organizational Commitment Scale. Correlation, regression and independent samples t-tests were employed in SPSS to analyze the data. The findings showed that organizational commitment dimension was positively related to glass cliff perception. Regression analysis revealed that glass cliff perception, identity leadership, affective commitment and normative commitment significantly explained perception of women in policing. Gender differences revealed that female officers reported significantly higher glass cliff perception compared to males, as well as higher affective commitment and continuance commitment, whereas male officers scored higher on identity leadership. The results indicate that the views of precarious leadership roles do not always lead to a decrease in organizational commitment but can also indicate resilience among women officers in the male-dominated policing contexts. The paper identifies the significance of identity-based leadership and gender-sensitive organizational behaviors in the development of commitment and perceptions in law enforcement organizations.

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Published

2026-03-31

How to Cite

Parveen, S. ., Hassan, B., & Iqbal, N. . (2026). Predicting Social Representation of Women in Police: A Cross-Sectional Study of Identity Leadership, Glass Cliff Perception and Organizational Commitment in Police Officers of Punjab Pakistan. Journal of Professional & Applied Psychology, 7(1), 127–140. https://doi.org/10.52053/jpap.v7i1.497