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Steps, stages, and structure: finding compensatory order in scientific theories
Bastiaan T Rutjens1, Frenk van Harreveld, Joop van der Pligt
1Department of Psychology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. bastiaan.rutjens@gmail.com
Journal of Experimental Psychology. General
|May 31, 2012
Summary
Stage theories offer order and predictability, making them appealing when people feel threatened by disorder. This preference for structured, sequential models is driven by a motivated perception of order.
Area of Science:
- Psychology
- Cognitive Science
- Social Psychology
Background:
- Stage theories are widely used but debated in scientific fields.
- Their appeal may stem from providing a sense of order and predictability.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the psychological appeal of stage theories.
- To determine if perceived disorder influences the preference for stage theories over continuum theories.
Main Methods:
- Participants rated stage and continuum theories on various attributes.
- Experiments involved manipulating threats to order and measuring theory preference.
- Mediation and moderation analyses were used to understand the underlying mechanisms.
Main Results:
- Stage theories were perceived as more orderly and predictable than continuum theories.
- Threats to order significantly increased the appeal of stage theories across different domains (grief, moral development, Alzheimer's disease).
- The effect was mediated by the motivated perception of order, particularly the fixed sequence of stages.
Conclusions:
- The appeal of stage theories is heightened under conditions of perceived disorder.
- Preference for stage theories is linked to a psychological need for order and predictability, independent of the valence of the subject matter.
- The fixed, sequential nature of stages is a key factor driving their appeal when order is threatened.
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