Philosophers and behavioral scientists refer to wisdom as unbiased reasoning that guides one towa... more Philosophers and behavioral scientists refer to wisdom as unbiased reasoning that guides one toward a good and virtuous life. However, major instruments developed to test wisdom are by default influenced by psychological bias. We examined whether shifting the focus from global, de-contextualized reports to state-focused reports about concrete situations provides a less biased method to assess wise thinking (e.g., intellectual humility, recognition of uncertainty and change, consideration of the broader context at hand and perspectives of others, integration of these perspectives/compromise). To this end, we introduce a state-focused measure of wise thinking. Results of a large-scale psychometric investigation (N = 3,982) revealed that the new measure is reliable and is not subject to psychological biases (attribution bias, bias blind spot, self-deception, impression management), whereas global wisdom reports are subject to such biases. Moreover, state-focused scores were positively related to indices of living well (e.g., adaptive emotion regulation, mindfulness) and to prosocial behavior. We discuss theoretical and practical implications for research on wisdom, judgment and decision making, well-being, and prosociality.
Journal of Experimental Psychology: Applied, Mar 1, 2020
The justice literature suggests that providing accounts for negative organizational decisions can... more The justice literature suggests that providing accounts for negative organizational decisions can enhance observers' perceptions of fairness and positive views of the organization. However, prior research has yet to distinguish between why- and how-information contained within accounts. Drawing from construal level theory, we test whether accounts focusing on why a negative workplace decision occurred are more effective for observers at higher (more abstract) levels of construal, whereas accounts focusing on how the decision was implemented are more effective for observers at lower (more concrete) levels of construal. Examining the effects of both dispositional and situationally induced forms of construal, we randomly assigned observers to receive accounts of why a company layoff was made versus how it was implemented. Across two studies, we find that explaining why leads to greater perceived fairness and more positive company impressions among individuals at higher levels of construal. We also find in Study 2 that describing how layoff recipients were treated respectfully elicits more positive reactions among individuals at lower levels of construal. Our findings illuminate a cognitive mechanism for when different types of accounts ameliorate observers' reactions to an undesirable organizational event-accounts of why and how are more effective under conditions of construal fit. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2019 APA, all rights reserved).
SummaryHow can managers deliver bad news with greater interactional justice? We propose a novel c... more SummaryHow can managers deliver bad news with greater interactional justice? We propose a novel cognitive pathway: Construing the activity at a higher (vs. lower) level increases actors' other‐oriented perspective taking, which in turn promotes the enactment of interactional justice. Three studies provide support. Studies 1 and 2 demonstrated a beneficial effect of construal level on interactional justice enactment when explaining a hypothetical bad news decision. Study 2 also showed that other‐oriented perspective taking is the mechanism through which construal level promotes interactional justice enactment. Study 3 replicated and extended these findings with a different paradigm and the addition of a moderator variable (trait perspective taking), providing a converging test of the proposed mechanism. Overall, the present research suggests that how managers think about delivering bad news—whether at higher or lower levels of construal—affects the extent to which they think from the recipient's perspective, and in turn how they communicate the news. Our research generates novel avenues for future research on justice enactment, construal level theory, and perspective taking. It may also have implications for better understanding downstream consequences of interactional justice enactment for bad news deliverers themselves.
This symposium explores the social and organizational consequences of construal level for phenome... more This symposium explores the social and organizational consequences of construal level for phenomena including communication, employee evaluation, ethical behavior, and organizational justice. We thereby conceptually extend construal level research beyond the intrapsychic outcomes emphasized in previous work, and at the same time illuminate heretofore unexplored cognitive foundations of important organizational phenomena. The proposed session brokers conceptual linkages between organizational behavior, managerial and organizational cognition, and conflict management. Construal Level Effects in Organizational Justice Presenter: Ramona Bobocel; U. of Waterloo Presenter: Sana Rizvi; U. of Waterloo Communicating with Distant Others: The Functional Use of Abstraction Presenter: Priyanka D. Joshi; U. of Southern California Presenter: Cheryl Wakslak; U. of Southern California Presenter: Yaacov Trope; New York U. The Effect of Resumes’ Level of Abstraction on Candidate Evaluation Presenter: Jean-Nicolas Reyt; McGi...
The importance of forgiveness for the modern workplace has increasingly been recognized in recent... more The importance of forgiveness for the modern workplace has increasingly been recognized in recent years. Despite the recent surge in research on the topic, there are still many important questions that need to be answered, which will provide a deeper understanding of forgiveness and its implications in organizations. The purpose of this symposium is to address key questions in this literature, including investigating what drives individuals' forgiveness, exploring what types of forgiveness-related responses exist, and understanding the consequences of different types of forgiveness. Drawing upon a variety of methodologies as well as theoretical perspectives, the symposium brings together leading experts in workplace forgiveness to: a) examine antecedents and consequences of different types of forgiveness-related responses; b) investigate mechanisms and moderators of relevance to forgiveness processes in the workplace; c) explore different types of forgiveness-related responses; and d) study the interplay ...
In the present symposium, we showcase research that is at the interface between justice scholarsh... more In the present symposium, we showcase research that is at the interface between justice scholarship and social/cognitive psychology theory, and which advances our understanding of organizational justice by examining justice processes through novel theoretical perspectives. The papers in this symposium ground their predictions in self-regulation theory (Carver & Scheier, 1981), construal level theory (Trope & Liberman, 2010), regulatory focus theory (Higgins, 1997), and theories of need fulfillment (e.g., Baumeister & Leary, 1995). In so doing, the studies focus on the processes involved in the psychological experience of justice and injustice–on how and why employees react as they do. Notably, they do so using a number of robust designs, including daily diary studies, experiments, and studies employing new philosophies for measuring justice. More generally, by focusing on the interface between justice scholarship and mainstream social/cognitive psychology, this symposium will facili...
The importance of forgiveness for the modern workplace has increasingly been recognized in recent... more The importance of forgiveness for the modern workplace has increasingly been recognized in recent years. Despite the recent surge in research on the topic, there are still many important questions that need to be answered, which will provide a deeper understanding of forgiveness and its implications in organizations. The purpose of this symposium is to address key questions in this literature, including investigating what drives individuals' forgiveness, exploring what types of forgiveness-related responses exist, and understanding the consequences of different types of forgiveness. Drawing upon a variety of methodologies as well as theoretical perspectives, the symposium brings together leading experts in workplace forgiveness to: a) examine antecedents and consequences of different types of forgiveness-related responses; b) investigate mechanisms and moderators of relevance to forgiveness processes in the workplace; c) explore different types of forgiveness-related responses; ...
SummaryDespite the importance of apology in reconciling interpersonal transgressions, little rese... more SummaryDespite the importance of apology in reconciling interpersonal transgressions, little research has focused on the people engaging in the behavior. Why do transgressors apologize in the workplace, and do apology motives shape transgressor perceptions of reconciliation? We conducted three field studies using qualitative and quantitative methodologies to examine these questions. In Studies 1 and 2 (total N = 781), we identified four distinct apology motives—self‐blame, relational value, personal expedience, and fear of sanctions—and developed self‐report scales to measure the motives. In Study 3 (N = 420), we examined relations between apology motives and transgressor perceptions of victim forgiveness and relationship reconciliation through the lens of motivated cognition. We found that apologizing due to self‐blame, relational value, and personal expedience increases perceptions of victim forgiveness, whereas apologizing due to fear of sanctions decreases perceived forgiveness....
This symposium explores the social and organizational consequences of construal level for phenome... more This symposium explores the social and organizational consequences of construal level for phenomena including communication, employee evaluation, ethical behavior, and organizational justice. We thereby conceptually extend construal level research beyond the intrapsychic outcomes emphasized in previous work, and at the same time illuminate heretofore unexplored cognitive foundations of important organizational phenomena. The proposed session brokers conceptual linkages between organizational behavior, managerial and organizational cognition, and conflict management. Construal Level Effects in Organizational Justice Presenter: Ramona Bobocel; U. of Waterloo Presenter: Sana Rizvi; U. of Waterloo Communicating with Distant Others: The Functional Use of Abstraction Presenter: Priyanka D. Joshi; U. of Southern California Presenter: Cheryl Wakslak; U. of Southern California Presenter: Yaacov Trope; New York U. The Effect of Resumes’ Level of Abstraction on Candidate Evaluation Presenter: Jean-Nicolas Reyt; McGi...
Philosophers and behavioral scientists refer to wisdom as unbiased reasoning that guides one towa... more Philosophers and behavioral scientists refer to wisdom as unbiased reasoning that guides one toward a good and virtuous life. However, major instruments developed to test wisdom are by default influenced by psychological bias. We examined whether shifting the focus from global, de-contextualized reports to state-focused reports about concrete situations provides a less biased method to assess wise thinking (e.g., intellectual humility, recognition of uncertainty and change, consideration of the broader context at hand and perspectives of others, integration of these perspectives/compromise). To this end, we introduce a state-focused measure of wise thinking. Results of a large-scale psychometric investigation (N = 3,982) revealed that the new measure is reliable and is not subject to psychological biases (attribution bias, bias blind spot, self-deception, impression management), whereas global wisdom reports are subject to such biases. Moreover, state-focused scores were positively related to indices of living well (e.g., adaptive emotion regulation, mindfulness) and to prosocial behavior. We discuss theoretical and practical implications for research on wisdom, judgment and decision making, well-being, and prosociality.
Journal of Experimental Psychology: Applied, Mar 1, 2020
The justice literature suggests that providing accounts for negative organizational decisions can... more The justice literature suggests that providing accounts for negative organizational decisions can enhance observers' perceptions of fairness and positive views of the organization. However, prior research has yet to distinguish between why- and how-information contained within accounts. Drawing from construal level theory, we test whether accounts focusing on why a negative workplace decision occurred are more effective for observers at higher (more abstract) levels of construal, whereas accounts focusing on how the decision was implemented are more effective for observers at lower (more concrete) levels of construal. Examining the effects of both dispositional and situationally induced forms of construal, we randomly assigned observers to receive accounts of why a company layoff was made versus how it was implemented. Across two studies, we find that explaining why leads to greater perceived fairness and more positive company impressions among individuals at higher levels of construal. We also find in Study 2 that describing how layoff recipients were treated respectfully elicits more positive reactions among individuals at lower levels of construal. Our findings illuminate a cognitive mechanism for when different types of accounts ameliorate observers' reactions to an undesirable organizational event-accounts of why and how are more effective under conditions of construal fit. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2019 APA, all rights reserved).
SummaryHow can managers deliver bad news with greater interactional justice? We propose a novel c... more SummaryHow can managers deliver bad news with greater interactional justice? We propose a novel cognitive pathway: Construing the activity at a higher (vs. lower) level increases actors' other‐oriented perspective taking, which in turn promotes the enactment of interactional justice. Three studies provide support. Studies 1 and 2 demonstrated a beneficial effect of construal level on interactional justice enactment when explaining a hypothetical bad news decision. Study 2 also showed that other‐oriented perspective taking is the mechanism through which construal level promotes interactional justice enactment. Study 3 replicated and extended these findings with a different paradigm and the addition of a moderator variable (trait perspective taking), providing a converging test of the proposed mechanism. Overall, the present research suggests that how managers think about delivering bad news—whether at higher or lower levels of construal—affects the extent to which they think from the recipient's perspective, and in turn how they communicate the news. Our research generates novel avenues for future research on justice enactment, construal level theory, and perspective taking. It may also have implications for better understanding downstream consequences of interactional justice enactment for bad news deliverers themselves.
This symposium explores the social and organizational consequences of construal level for phenome... more This symposium explores the social and organizational consequences of construal level for phenomena including communication, employee evaluation, ethical behavior, and organizational justice. We thereby conceptually extend construal level research beyond the intrapsychic outcomes emphasized in previous work, and at the same time illuminate heretofore unexplored cognitive foundations of important organizational phenomena. The proposed session brokers conceptual linkages between organizational behavior, managerial and organizational cognition, and conflict management. Construal Level Effects in Organizational Justice Presenter: Ramona Bobocel; U. of Waterloo Presenter: Sana Rizvi; U. of Waterloo Communicating with Distant Others: The Functional Use of Abstraction Presenter: Priyanka D. Joshi; U. of Southern California Presenter: Cheryl Wakslak; U. of Southern California Presenter: Yaacov Trope; New York U. The Effect of Resumes’ Level of Abstraction on Candidate Evaluation Presenter: Jean-Nicolas Reyt; McGi...
The importance of forgiveness for the modern workplace has increasingly been recognized in recent... more The importance of forgiveness for the modern workplace has increasingly been recognized in recent years. Despite the recent surge in research on the topic, there are still many important questions that need to be answered, which will provide a deeper understanding of forgiveness and its implications in organizations. The purpose of this symposium is to address key questions in this literature, including investigating what drives individuals' forgiveness, exploring what types of forgiveness-related responses exist, and understanding the consequences of different types of forgiveness. Drawing upon a variety of methodologies as well as theoretical perspectives, the symposium brings together leading experts in workplace forgiveness to: a) examine antecedents and consequences of different types of forgiveness-related responses; b) investigate mechanisms and moderators of relevance to forgiveness processes in the workplace; c) explore different types of forgiveness-related responses; and d) study the interplay ...
In the present symposium, we showcase research that is at the interface between justice scholarsh... more In the present symposium, we showcase research that is at the interface between justice scholarship and social/cognitive psychology theory, and which advances our understanding of organizational justice by examining justice processes through novel theoretical perspectives. The papers in this symposium ground their predictions in self-regulation theory (Carver & Scheier, 1981), construal level theory (Trope & Liberman, 2010), regulatory focus theory (Higgins, 1997), and theories of need fulfillment (e.g., Baumeister & Leary, 1995). In so doing, the studies focus on the processes involved in the psychological experience of justice and injustice–on how and why employees react as they do. Notably, they do so using a number of robust designs, including daily diary studies, experiments, and studies employing new philosophies for measuring justice. More generally, by focusing on the interface between justice scholarship and mainstream social/cognitive psychology, this symposium will facili...
The importance of forgiveness for the modern workplace has increasingly been recognized in recent... more The importance of forgiveness for the modern workplace has increasingly been recognized in recent years. Despite the recent surge in research on the topic, there are still many important questions that need to be answered, which will provide a deeper understanding of forgiveness and its implications in organizations. The purpose of this symposium is to address key questions in this literature, including investigating what drives individuals' forgiveness, exploring what types of forgiveness-related responses exist, and understanding the consequences of different types of forgiveness. Drawing upon a variety of methodologies as well as theoretical perspectives, the symposium brings together leading experts in workplace forgiveness to: a) examine antecedents and consequences of different types of forgiveness-related responses; b) investigate mechanisms and moderators of relevance to forgiveness processes in the workplace; c) explore different types of forgiveness-related responses; ...
SummaryDespite the importance of apology in reconciling interpersonal transgressions, little rese... more SummaryDespite the importance of apology in reconciling interpersonal transgressions, little research has focused on the people engaging in the behavior. Why do transgressors apologize in the workplace, and do apology motives shape transgressor perceptions of reconciliation? We conducted three field studies using qualitative and quantitative methodologies to examine these questions. In Studies 1 and 2 (total N = 781), we identified four distinct apology motives—self‐blame, relational value, personal expedience, and fear of sanctions—and developed self‐report scales to measure the motives. In Study 3 (N = 420), we examined relations between apology motives and transgressor perceptions of victim forgiveness and relationship reconciliation through the lens of motivated cognition. We found that apologizing due to self‐blame, relational value, and personal expedience increases perceptions of victim forgiveness, whereas apologizing due to fear of sanctions decreases perceived forgiveness....
This symposium explores the social and organizational consequences of construal level for phenome... more This symposium explores the social and organizational consequences of construal level for phenomena including communication, employee evaluation, ethical behavior, and organizational justice. We thereby conceptually extend construal level research beyond the intrapsychic outcomes emphasized in previous work, and at the same time illuminate heretofore unexplored cognitive foundations of important organizational phenomena. The proposed session brokers conceptual linkages between organizational behavior, managerial and organizational cognition, and conflict management. Construal Level Effects in Organizational Justice Presenter: Ramona Bobocel; U. of Waterloo Presenter: Sana Rizvi; U. of Waterloo Communicating with Distant Others: The Functional Use of Abstraction Presenter: Priyanka D. Joshi; U. of Southern California Presenter: Cheryl Wakslak; U. of Southern California Presenter: Yaacov Trope; New York U. The Effect of Resumes’ Level of Abstraction on Candidate Evaluation Presenter: Jean-Nicolas Reyt; McGi...
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