Challenging the Status Quo: When People Become Open to Negative System Information

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2010-06

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The Ohio State University

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Abstract

People often resist change to their social systems, even when the failings of these systems are readily apparent (e.g., US healthcare). We propose that system information search comprises a self-control conflict between two motives: a short-term system-justification motive that is associated with enhancement of positive affect, and a long-term system-assessment motive that is concerned with seeking diagnostic information with which to improve the system. This conflict should only be evident when the system is of relevance to the individual. The level of abstraction at which people construe events may impact decisions in such self-control dilemmas. Higher-level construals lead people to focus on more long-term goals (accurate assessment of the system) over short-term ones (avoiding the discomfort of learning one's system is flawed). This study examined construal-level as an important psychological determinant of openness to change in system information search. Construal-level and system relevance were manipulated between our participants who were then given a choice of reading about system strengths (which serve system-justification motives) or weaknesses (which serve system-assessment motives). We predicted that participants in the high-construal/high-relevance condition would be most open to system weaknesses. In contrast to predictions, our results revealed that low-level construal individuals preferred weaknesses more than high-level construal individuals. We speculate that our participants may have been less invested in change, and that justifying the system in the face of negative information may have been the more pressing concern. Consistent with this interpretation, we found that individuals who believed change was a responsible thing to do, and is possible, preferred to receive system weaknesses to strengths at high-level construals.

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Construal Levels, System Justification, Self-control, Motives

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