Uncertainty and Conformity: The Mediating Effect of Decisiveness and Need for Structure

doi:10.12139/j.1672-0628.2022.02.005

Abstract

Abstract: Uncertainty occurs along with the phenomenon of conformity, although the underlying process and the gender difference are not clarified. The current study applied a cross-sectional questionnaire to 804 college participants. The results showed that: 1) uncertainty was positively correlated with conformity; 2) decisiveness and need for structure completely mediated the relationship between uncertainty and conformity and showed a gender difference: the relation between uncertainty and conformity for women was primarily mediated by decisiveness, while that for men was parallelly mediated by decisiveness and need for structure. This study supports the uncertain-identity theory and the two-factor model of cognitive closure, providing a theoretical basis for managing the conformity of genders under uncertainty.

Key words: uncertainty, conformity, need for cognitive closure, decisiveness, need for structure

摘要： 不确定感伴随从众的现象普遍存在，然而其内在加工过程及个体差异仍不明确。对804名大学生被试进行问卷调查，结果显示：（1）不确定感与从众正相关；（2）决断性与结构需求完全中介不确定感与从众的关系，且存在性别差异；二者关系上，女性更大程度上受决断性的中介，其次为结构需求；男性受决断性和结构需求的平行中介。结果支持不确定−认同理论和认知闭合两阶段模型观点，为不确定状态下不同性别人群从众行为的管理提供了理论依据。

关键词: 不确定感, 从众, 认知闭合需要, 决断性, 结构需求

CLC Number:

B842

HAN Ruikang, LIN Jingyuan, MEI Ying, LI Kaiyun, LIN Fengxun, LEI Yi, LI Hong. Uncertainty and Conformity: The Mediating Effect of Decisiveness and Need for Structure[J]. Studies of Psychology and Behavior, 2022, 20(2): 174-181.

韩瑞康, 林静远, 梅颖, 李开云, 林丰勋, 雷怡, 李红. 不确定感与从众：决断性与结构需求的中介作用[J]. 心理与行为研究, 2022, 20(2): 174-181.

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