Tracy, who is a police officer, has two different roles at work. Sometimes she has to treat citizens respectfully, comfort them, and help them solve problems. At other times, she must behave aggressively, make demands of citizens, and delay solving problems to ensure that people are safe. These contradictory expectations are an example of:

Question

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Tracy is experiencing role conflict, which occurs when different roles have contradictory expectations. Her roles as a helpful community liaison and a tough law enforcer are at odds with each other, and this can create stress and confusion. Role ambiguity (A) would occur if Tracy was unsure of what her role actually entailed, but this is not the case. Emotion-focused roles (C) and problem-focused roles (D) are not relevant to the situation described.

Tracy, Who Is a Police Officer, Has Two Different Roles