When motivation and cognition collide
Subtitle: the role of justification motives and efficacy beliefs on individual and group decisions in escalation situations.
Published: 2005
Language: eng
Number of pages: 142
Description: Self-justification motives were found to moderate the role of self-efficacy on individuals' escalation decisions immediately after decision makers received negative feedback regarding a previously initiated course of action. A three-way conditional relationship between self-justification, self-efficacy, and time was found with respect to individuals' decision to either escalate or withdraw their commitment in repeated escalation situations. A two-way conditional relationship between self-justification and self-efficacy described the extent to which individuals escalated their commitment over time. With respect to the group level of analysis, collective justification motives did not moderate the role of collective-efficacy perceptions on group escalation decisions. Moreover, collective-efficacy influenced groups' decisions to escalate commitment immediately following the receipt of negative feedback. Collective efficacy was not found to influence groups' decisions to escalate their commitment over repeated escalation situations.Justification motives and efficacy beliefs were used to predict the decisions made by individuals and groups in escalation situations. In total, 100 business students individually participated in a business strategy simulation based on the cellular phone industry in the United States. A further 273 business students participated in the simulation as members of groups of three.The findings of this study also raise important practical questions. Should decision makers who have an extensive history of success be inoculated against the hidden dysfunction of high efficacy perceptions? Should employees be trained to be resilient to adverse conditions at the risk of training them to escalate their commitment? Should organizations develop employees' efficacy beliefs and hold their employees accountable for their own actions as is often practiced in industry? These and other practical implications are discussed in combination with theoretical implications and directions for future research.A number of theoretical implications stem from the present study. First, this study explicit addresses the role of perceptions of efficacy (cognition) and justification motives (motivation) in escalation behaviors (action). To this end, this study further clarifies how multiple antecedents may work together to generate escalation behaviors. Moreover, the results of the present study demonstrated that the direct role of efficacy perceptions and the conditional relationship between efficacy perceptions and justification motives differ between individuals and groups.
Notes: Thesis (Ph.D.)--University of Toronto, 2005.

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Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 66-06, Section: A, page: 2285.