Date of Award
2016
Degree Type
Dissertation
Degree Name
Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)
Department
Psychology
Abstract
A diverse array of empirical research posits a general tendency for people to prefer the status quo over change, all else being equal. In two experiments, we explore the status quo preference phenomenon from a motivated cognition, uncertainty management perspective. Extending the precepts of several related empirical traditions (e.g. terror management theory, system justification theory and related topics), we explore the premise that uncertainty management processes activate social cognitive mechanisms directly favoring the status quo, similar to previously established process mechanisms such as terror management. Across two studies, we find support for the idea that both uncertainty and mortality salience
magnify peoples’ pre-existing ideological preferences.
Recommended Citation
Cheng, Justin S., "Status Quo Vs. Change in the Face of Death and Uncertainty" (2016). Dissertations. 1938.
https://ecommons.luc.edu/luc_diss/1938
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 License.
Copyright Statement
Copyright © 2016 Justin S Cheng
