Motivation for conflict among Chinese university students: Effects of others' expertise and one's own confidence on engaging in conflict

Motivation for conflict among Chinese university students: Effects of others' expertise and one's own confidence on engaging in conflict

• Tjosvold, Dean Dept. of Management, Lingnan University (Hong Kong, China)
• Nibler, Roger Dept. of Management, Lingnan University (Hong Kong, China)
• Wan, Paulina Dept. of Management, Lingnan University (Hong Kong, China)

Journal of Social Psychology, 141(3), 353-363, 2001

Routledge

2001

• A Human Growth & Development
  • AC Socialization, Self-concept, Self-esteem, Identity, Affective, Emotional, Psycho-social & Moral Development
• A Human Growth & Development
  • AE Socioeconomic & Cultural Differences, Class & Family Background
• A Human Growth & Development
  • AI Life Skills

College Students Conflict Decision Making Decision Making Skills Educational Research Foreign Countries Higher Education Interviews Questionnaires Self Esteem Social Influences Hong Kong

• Hong Kong

• 1997.7 onwards

• Post-Secondary Education

Researchers (A. C. Amason, 1996; D. H. Gruenfeld, 1995; K. A. Jehn, 1995, 1997; M. A. Rahim, 1989; M. A. Rahim & A. A. Blum, 1994; D. M. Schweiger, W. R. Sandberg, & P. L. Rechner, 1989; P. E. Tetlock, D. Armor, & R. S. Peterson, 1994) have documented the value of conflictual discussions for solving problems, but few have explored the conditions under which people are motivated to engage in controversy (K. A. Jehn, C. Chadwick, & S. M. B. Thatcher, 1997). Some (M. Van Berklom & D. Tjosvold, 1981) have hypothesized that high expertise and a competitive social context arouse concerns about defending one's position and challenging the opposing one. In the present study, Chinese university students in Hong Kong who expected to disagree with an expert, compared with those who did not expect to disagree with an expert, had less confidence, felt less knowledgeable about their position, and selected an agreeable discussant. Consistent with the idea of maintaining distance from those in power, the participants were reluctant to disagree directly with someone with greater expertise.
[Copyright of Journal of Social Psychology is the property of Routledge. Full article may be available at the publisher's website:
http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/00224540109600557]

• English

Journal Articles

• 00224545

• 10.1080/00224540109600557

https://bibliography.lib.eduhk.hk/bibs/8c26816d

2010-09-24