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Response to restrictive policies: Reconciling system justification and psychological reactance

Publication ,  Journal Article
Laurin, K; Kay, AC; Proudfoot, D; Fitzsimons, GJ
Published in: Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes
November 1, 2013

Here we propose a dual process model to reconcile two contradictory predictions about how people respond to restrictive policies imposed upon them by organizations and systems within which they operate. When participants' attention was not drawn to the restrictive nature of the policy, or when it was, but their cognitive resources were restricted, we found evidence supporting a prediction based on System Justification Theory: Participants reacted favorably to restrictive policies, endorsing them and downplaying the importance of the restricted freedom. Only when we cued participants to focus their undivided attention on the restrictive nature of the policy did we find evidence supporting a prediction based on psychological reactance: Only then did participants display reactance and respond negatively to the policies. © 2013 Elsevier Inc.

Duke Scholars

Published In

Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes

DOI

ISSN

0749-5978

Publication Date

November 1, 2013

Volume

122

Issue

2

Start / End Page

152 / 162

Related Subject Headings

  • Social Psychology
  • 52 Psychology
  • 35 Commerce, management, tourism and services
  • 17 Psychology and Cognitive Sciences
  • 15 Commerce, Management, Tourism and Services
 

Citation

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Laurin, K., Kay, A. C., Proudfoot, D., & Fitzsimons, G. J. (2013). Response to restrictive policies: Reconciling system justification and psychological reactance. Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes, 122(2), 152–162. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.obhdp.2013.06.004
Laurin, K., A. C. Kay, D. Proudfoot, and G. J. Fitzsimons. “Response to restrictive policies: Reconciling system justification and psychological reactance.” Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes 122, no. 2 (November 1, 2013): 152–62. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.obhdp.2013.06.004.
Laurin K, Kay AC, Proudfoot D, Fitzsimons GJ. Response to restrictive policies: Reconciling system justification and psychological reactance. Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes. 2013 Nov 1;122(2):152–62.
Laurin, K., et al. “Response to restrictive policies: Reconciling system justification and psychological reactance.” Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes, vol. 122, no. 2, Nov. 2013, pp. 152–62. Scopus, doi:10.1016/j.obhdp.2013.06.004.
Laurin K, Kay AC, Proudfoot D, Fitzsimons GJ. Response to restrictive policies: Reconciling system justification and psychological reactance. Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes. 2013 Nov 1;122(2):152–162.
Journal cover image

Published In

Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes

DOI

ISSN

0749-5978

Publication Date

November 1, 2013

Volume

122

Issue

2

Start / End Page

152 / 162

Related Subject Headings

  • Social Psychology
  • 52 Psychology
  • 35 Commerce, management, tourism and services
  • 17 Psychology and Cognitive Sciences
  • 15 Commerce, Management, Tourism and Services