Event Title

Changes in Attitudes Towards the Situation or Changes in Attitudes Towards the Self? The Role of Cognitive Dissonance in Adjusting to Unpleasant Work Environments for Independent and Interdependent Selves

Location

CSU 253/4/5

Start Date

24-4-2007 10:30 AM

End Date

24-4-2007 12:30 PM

Student's Major

Psychology

Student's College

Social and Behavioral Sciences

Mentor's Name

Vinai Norasakkunkit

Mentor's Department

Psychology

Mentor's College

Social and Behavioral Sciences

Second Mentor's Name

Yun-Mi Choi

Second Mentor's Department

Psychology

Second Mentor's College

Social and Behavioral Sciences

Description

Research suggests that individuals can derive satisfaction from making certain choices for themselves. When an individual chooses a behavior or role that turns out to be unsatisfactory, the individual may experience dissonance which negatively affects the individual's sense of self-consistency, integrity, and self-esteem. Cognitive dissonance theory predicts that when an individual is indefinitely stuck in such an unpleasant situation, such as an unsatisfying work environment (e.g. disputes with supervisor or peers, job does not fulfill expectations, etc.), the individual will experience dissonance. In order to relieve this dissonance, individuals try to remove themselves from the unpleasant work environment, or, when unable to escape, may change their attitude regarding the work environment by focusing on positive aspects of the environment (e.g. pay, friendly co-workers, desirable hours, etc.). However, changing one's attitude towards the environment is only one strategy towards relieving dissonance. An alternate strategy would be to change one's attitude towards one's self ("I must become more patient," "I will pay more attention to detail," etc.), thus becoming accepting and accommodating towards the reality of the unpleasant environment. Cognitive dissonance theory correctly predicts that independent selves will change their attitude toward the environment to alleviate dissonance. This research, using data collected from participants in the U.S. and South Korea, proposes that interdependent selves rely on the alternative strategy of changing their attitudes towards the self when confronted with dissonance. By measuring the individuals' self-construal and dissonance relieving strategies, we intend to show that dissonance strategies are dependent upon the selfconstrual of the individual.

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Apr 24th, 10:30 AM Apr 24th, 12:30 PM

Changes in Attitudes Towards the Situation or Changes in Attitudes Towards the Self? The Role of Cognitive Dissonance in Adjusting to Unpleasant Work Environments for Independent and Interdependent Selves

CSU 253/4/5

Research suggests that individuals can derive satisfaction from making certain choices for themselves. When an individual chooses a behavior or role that turns out to be unsatisfactory, the individual may experience dissonance which negatively affects the individual's sense of self-consistency, integrity, and self-esteem. Cognitive dissonance theory predicts that when an individual is indefinitely stuck in such an unpleasant situation, such as an unsatisfying work environment (e.g. disputes with supervisor or peers, job does not fulfill expectations, etc.), the individual will experience dissonance. In order to relieve this dissonance, individuals try to remove themselves from the unpleasant work environment, or, when unable to escape, may change their attitude regarding the work environment by focusing on positive aspects of the environment (e.g. pay, friendly co-workers, desirable hours, etc.). However, changing one's attitude towards the environment is only one strategy towards relieving dissonance. An alternate strategy would be to change one's attitude towards one's self ("I must become more patient," "I will pay more attention to detail," etc.), thus becoming accepting and accommodating towards the reality of the unpleasant environment. Cognitive dissonance theory correctly predicts that independent selves will change their attitude toward the environment to alleviate dissonance. This research, using data collected from participants in the U.S. and South Korea, proposes that interdependent selves rely on the alternative strategy of changing their attitudes towards the self when confronted with dissonance. By measuring the individuals' self-construal and dissonance relieving strategies, we intend to show that dissonance strategies are dependent upon the selfconstrual of the individual.

Recommended Citation

Ellis, Daniel. "Changes in Attitudes Towards the Situation or Changes in Attitudes Towards the Self? The Role of Cognitive Dissonance in Adjusting to Unpleasant Work Environments for Independent and Interdependent Selves." Undergraduate Research Symposium, Mankato, MN, April 24, 2007.
https://cornerstone.lib.mnsu.edu/urs/2007/poster-session-D/7