Workers differentiate clients on affectional preference where they can act on it

Evidence

Differentiation among clients may take place because of workers’ preferences for some clients over others. They may prefer some clients over others, despite official norms to the centrary, under at least three circumstances. Ultimately they all reflect the fact that workers find greater gratification in interacting with some clients than with others and have opportunities to act on these preferences. … First, some clients simply evoke workers’ sympathy or hostility. Like the Israeli customs officials, workers may be inclined to “give the underdog a break” or may favor clients with similar ethnic backgrounds, as when racial or ethnic favoritism prevails in discriminatory decision making. — Michael Lipsky, Street-Level Bureaucracy, 793

Categorization

• XREF: connects to: Selective coaching of clients redistributes benefits away from the uncoached