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When Do Conflicts Feel Right for Prevention-Focused Individuals? The Debiasing Effect of Low Need for Closure

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  22 May 2017

Zhi-Xue Zhang*
Affiliation:
Peking University, China
Xin Wei
Affiliation:
University of International Business and Economics, China
Melody Manchi Chao
Affiliation:
Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, China
Yi Zheng
Affiliation:
Peking University, China
*
Corresponding author: Zhi-Xue Zhang ([email protected])

Abstract

Both lay beliefs and research findings suggest that people tend to avoid conflicts if interpersonal harmony is highly valued. Counter to this widely accepted convention, we adopt the perspective of motivated social cognition to argue that conflict avoidance is subject to the joint effect of the need for epistemic security (need for closure) and the motivation to prevent losses (prevention focus). Such effect is mediated by negative anticipation towards the consequences of confronting conflicts. Results across three studies indicated that individuals with relatively high need for closure and high prevention focus show the strongest conflict avoidance tendency due to their heightened negative anticipation. However, with low need for closure, the negative anticipation and conflict avoidance tendency of high prevention-focused individuals are weakened or even disappear. This research offers a novel theory about the mechanism of conflict avoidance. The findings about the debiasing role of low need for closure also provide rich implications for conflict resolutions.

摘要:

摘要:

世俗信仰和研究结果都表明, 如果人际和谐被高度重视, 人们会倾向于避免冲突。与这个被广泛接受的常规相反, 我们从动机性社会认知的视角认为, 冲突规避受限于认知安全需要 (闭合需要) 和预防损失 (预防关注) 动机的共同影响。这样的影响是通过对面对冲突的后果的负预期来调解的。横跨三个研究的结果表明, 有相对较高闭合需要和预防关注需要的个体由于其高度的负面预期呈现出最强的冲突规避趋势。然而, 在低闭合需要状态, 对有高预防关注的个体的负面预期和冲突规避倾向减弱甚至消失。这项研究提供了关于冲突规避机制的一种新理论。关于低闭合需要的去偏见作用的研究发现也为解决冲突提供了丰富的启示。

सामान्य विश्वास और शोध परिणाम, दोनों ही अन्तर्सम्बन्धी सामंजस्य की महत्ता की स्थिति में लोगों द्वारा संघर्ष-वर्जन प्रस्तावित करते हैं. इसके विपरीत हम उत्प्रेरित सामाजिक संज्ञान परिप्रेक्ष्य अपनाते हुए यह मत रखते हैं की संघर्ष वर्जन सूझती सुरक्षा (समापन की आवश्यकता) और नुक्सान बचने की उत्प्रेरणा का समग्र प्रभाव है. इस प्रभाव में संघर्ष के नकारात्मक प्रभावों की प्रत्याशा मध्यस्थ का काम करती है. तीन अध्ययनों के परिणाम ये दिखाते हैं की समापन की अपेक्षाकृत तीव्र चाहत वाले तथा बचाव केंद्रित व्यक्ति अत्यधिक नकारात्मक प्रत्याशा के कारण सबसे अधिक संघर्ष-वर्जन दिखाते हैं. लेकिन समापन की सीमित आवश्यकता होने पर वर्जन-केंद्रित व्यक्तियों की नकारात्मक प्रत्याशा व संघर्ष वर्जन प्रवृत्ति कमज़ोर और बहुधा अदृश्य भी हो जाती है. यह शोध संघर्ष-वर्जन प्रक्रिया पर नवीन सिद्धांत प्रस्तुत करता है. समापन की आवश्यकता के गैर-पक्षपाती प्रभाव से जुड़े परिणाम संघर्ष-समाधान के लिए आशय प्रस्तुत करते हैं.

Abstract:

ABSTRACT:

Tanto crenças leigas quanto achados de pesquisa sugerem que as pessoas tendem a evitar conflitos se a harmonia interpessoal é altamente valorizada. Contrariando essa convenção amplamente aceita, adotamos a perspectiva da cognição social motivada para argumentar que evitação de conflitos está sujeita ao efeito conjunto da necessidade de segurança epistêmica (necessidade de fechamento) e da motivação para prevenir perdas (foco na prevenção). Esse efeito é mediado pela antecipação negativa em relação às consequências de enfrentar conflitos. Os resultados de três estudos indicaram que indivíduos com necessidade relativamente alta de fechamento e elevado foco na evitação mostram a tendência mais forte de evitar conflitos devido à sua aumentada antecipação negativa. No entanto, com baixa necessidade de fechamento, a antecipação negativa e a tendência de evitar conflitos de indivíduos de elevado foco na prevenção são enfraquecidas ou mesmo desaparecem. Esta pesquisa oferece uma nova teoria sobre o mecanismo de prevenção conflitos. As conclusões sobre o papel eliminação de viés da baixa necessidade de fechamento também fornecem ricas implicações para resoluções de conflitos.

Аннотация:

АННОТАЦИЯ:

Как мнения дилетантов, так и результаты исследований подтверждают, что люди склонны избегать конфликтов в том случае, если они высоко ценят межличностную гармонию. Вопреки этому общепринятому мнению, мы следуем теории мотивированного социального познания, и утверждаем, что предотвращение конфликтов является результатом совместного воздействия со стороны необходимости эпистемической безопасности (потребности в замкнутости) и мотивации для предотвращения убытков (фокус на профилактику). Такой эффект стабилизируется негативными ожиданиями в отношении последствий противостояния конфликтам. Результаты трех исследований показали, что люди с относительно высокой потребностью в замкнутости и высоким фокусом на профилактику демонстрируют самую сильную тенденцию к предотвращению конфликтов из-за повышенных негативных ожиданий. Тем не менее, при низкой потребности в замкнутости, негативные ожидания и склонность к предотвращению конфликтов у лиц с высоким фокусом на профилактику, ослабляются или даже исчезают. Это исследование предлагает новую теорию о механизме предотвращения конфликтов. Выводы о стабилизирующей роли, которую играет низкая потребность в замкнутости, также имеют большое значение для урегулирования конфликтов.

Resumen:

RESUMEN:

Tanto las creencias establecidas como los resultados de investigación indican que las personas tienden a evitar conflictos si la armonía interpersonal es altamente valorada. En contraste con esta convención ampliamente aceptada, adoptamos la perspectiva de la cognición social motivada para discutir que la evitación de conflictos está sujeta al efecto de la necesidad por seguridad epistémica (necesidad de cierre) y la motivación para prevenir perdidas (enfoque de prevención). Esto efecto está mediado por una anticipación negativa hacia las consecuencias de confrontar los conflictos. Los resultados entre tres estudios indican que los individuos con una necesidad relativamente alta de cierre y un enfoque alto de prevención muestran la tendencia a evitar conflictos más alta debido a su anticipación intensificada. Sin embargo, con una necesidad baja de cierre, la anticipación negativa y la tendencia a evitar conflictos de individuos enfocados en alta prevención son debilitados, o incluso desaparecen. Esta investigación ofrece una teoría novedosa sobre los mecanismos de evitación de conflictos. Los hallazgos sobre el rol de reducir los prejuicios de la baja necesidad por cierre también proporcionan implicaciones abundantes para las resoluciones de conflictos.

Type
Articles
Copyright
Copyright © The International Association for Chinese Management Research 2017 

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