Abstract
Drawing on the motivated cognition literature, we examine how self-affirmation processes influence self-justification needs and escalation decisions. Study 1 found that individuals with a larger pool of affirmational resources (high self-esteem) reduced their escalation compared to those with fewer affirmational resources (low self-esteem). Study 2 extended these findings by demonstrating that individuals also de-escalated their commitments when they were provided an opportunity to affirm on an important value. Finally, Study 3 found that affirming on traits that were of low relevance (e.g., creativity) to an initial decision reduced escalation, but affirming on decision-relevant traits (e.g., decision-making ability) ironically increased escalation. Across three studies, using three instantiations of self-affirmations and two measures of escalation, the results highlight the potential benefits and costs of using self-affirmation as a vehicle to de-escalate commitment.
Original language | English (US) |
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Pages (from-to) | 1-14 |
Number of pages | 14 |
Journal | Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes |
Volume | 107 |
Issue number | 1 |
DOIs | |
State | Published - Sep 1 2008 |
Keywords
- Escalation of commitment
- Motivated-cognition
- Self-affirmation
- Self-justification
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Applied Psychology
- Organizational Behavior and Human Resource Management