Central values as constraints : situational accessibility of central values predicts exploration

It is a common phenomenon that values become part of people's self-concept. In fact, self-defining or central values are various and prevalent, and offer a myriad of psychological benefits. Central values also profoundly affect people's motivation and behavior. Central values, when assessible in a situation, are associated with greater openness for exploration. Two existing theories have offered explanations for the psychological underpinnings of the link between central value accessibility and exploration. Self-Affirmation Theory postulates that accessibility of central values offers a constructive avenue to achieve a positive self-image. As a result, people are better equipped to face uncertainty and engage in exploration. Another line of research on Adult Attachment Theory claims that the behavior systems of attachment and exploration are interconnected in adults. Because central values are rooted in social connections with others, situational accessibility of central values enhances people's secure attachment to care-giving figures. This enhanced relational resources support people's exploratory endeavors. In this dissertation, I propose a novel and a more general, though not incompatible theoretical account to explicate the link between central value accessibility and exploration. I draw on the notion of constraints from research on belief systems and conceptualize central values as a constrained system as well. I argue that the constraints of central values are maintained through three mechanisms: 1) central values are embedded in a web of other concepts; 2) central values are reinforced by behavioral mechanisms; 3) central values are shared by one's meaningful social relationships. I also delineate the psychological benefits and downsides that come with the constraints of central values. I then suggest that people react to constraints of central values by engaging in exploration to increase their experience of freedom. Here, I construe exploration as a domain-general motivational state in which people experience a desire to approach uncertain situations and objects. Exploration imparts uncertainty to the self, thereby restoring the dynamism of the self-concept. Overall, this constraint-based account of central values sheds light on how people can benefit from having central values while lessening the self-rigidity that comes with it. I also summarize existing theories on psychological balance, positing that people gravitate towards a certain psychological state that they feel most comfortable with. When they deviate from that state, they experience a tendency to return to it. I review a wide array of relevant theories on psychological balance and suggest that balance might be the nexus of otherwise disparate findings in the literature. In this context, the link between central value accessibility and exploration could be understood as people's tendency to balance the stability and dynamism of the self-concept. Across a series of five empirical studies, I find evidence in support of my main hypotheses, using a wide range of samples and contexts. In addition, I show that an interest in exploration subsequently predicts risk-taking behaviors such as choosing risky options in a lottery. I also identify an important antecedent of central values: the level of sharedness of values by one's in-group members

Keywords: Business.
Advisor: Lowery Brian
Flynn Francis J. 
Halevy Nir