Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 11, 2026
13:04
Measuring the Subjective Value of Risky and Ambiguous Options using Experimental Economics and Functional MRI Methods
Published on: September 19, 2012
When in doubt, seize the day? Security values, prosocial values, and proactivity under ambiguity
Adam M Grant1, Nancy P Rothbard
1The Wharton School.
The Journal of Applied Psychology
|May 1, 2013
Summary
Employee values shape proactive behaviors, especially in ambiguous work situations. High ambiguity amplifies the impact of security and prosocial values on employee proactivity.
Area of Science:
- Organizational Behavior
- Psychology
Background:
- Employee proactivity is crucial for organizational success.
- The interplay between employee values and situational ambiguity in influencing proactivity remains underexplored.
Purpose of the Study:
- To theoretically integrate and empirically test the moderating role of ambiguity on the relationship between employee values and proactive behaviors.
- To examine how situational ambiguity strengthens the influence of specific values (security, prosocial) on proactivity.
Main Methods:
- A field study involving 204 employees and their supervisors.
- A laboratory experiment with 232 participants measuring objective proactivity (error correction initiative).
Main Results:
- Ambiguity moderated the link between values and proactivity in both studies.
- Under high ambiguity, security values correlated with lower proactivity, while prosocial values correlated with higher proactivity.
- In low ambiguity conditions, values did not significantly predict proactivity.
Conclusions:
- Situational ambiguity acts as a 'weak situation,' enhancing the impact of employee values on proactive behaviors.
- Findings support a contingency perspective, highlighting the importance of considering situational context when examining values-proactivity links.
- Theoretical implications for understanding proactivity, values, and ambiguity in organizational settings.
Related Concept Videos
02:45Self-Discrepancy Theory
One influential perspective on what motivates people's behavior is detailed in Tory Higgin's self-discrepancy theory (Higgins, 1987). He proposed that people hold disagreeing internal representations of themselves that lead to different emotional states.
01:37Reason and Intuition
The human brain processes information for decision-making using one of two routes: an intuitive system and a rational system (Epstein, 1994; popularized by Kahneman, 2011 as System 1 and System 2, respectively). The intuitive system is quick, impulsive, and operates with minimal effort, relying on emotions or habits to provide cues for what to do next, while the rational system is logical, analytical, deliberate, and methodical. Research in neuropsychology suggests that the brain can only use...
01:20Frustration and Conflict: Approach-Approach, Approach-Avoidance
Frustration occurs when people are obstructed or prevented from achieving a desired goal or fulfilling a perceived need. For example, when someone's input is ignored in a discussion, it can lead to feelings of frustration. Conflict, however, arises from opposing interests, goals, or actions. Conflicts can take various forms based on the nature of these opposing desires or goals.
One common type of conflict is the Approach–Approach Conflict. In this case, a person faces two desirable options,...
One common type of conflict is the Approach–Approach Conflict. In this case, a person faces two desirable options,...
01:30Unrealistic Optimism Bias
Unrealistic optimism bias is the tendency to overestimate the likelihood of positive outcomes. This cognitive bias makes individuals believe they are less likely to experience failures, setbacks, or risks and more likely to succeed than others. For example, people may assume they are less prone to health issues, accidents, or financial struggles than their peers, even when they share similar risk factors.One key component of this bias is the above-average effect, where individuals perceive...
01:09Decision Making: P-value Method
The process of hypothesis testing based on the P-value method includes calculating the P- value using the sample data and interpreting it.
First, a specific claim about the population parameter is proposed. The claim is based on the research question and is stated in a simple form. Further, an opposing statement to the claim is also stated. These statements can act as null and alternative hypotheses: a null hypothesis would be a neutral statement while the alternative hypothesis can have a...
First, a specific claim about the population parameter is proposed. The claim is based on the research question and is stated in a simple form. Further, an opposing statement to the claim is also stated. These statements can act as null and alternative hypotheses: a null hypothesis would be a neutral statement while the alternative hypothesis can have a...
03:00Self-Evaluation: Self-Enhancement and Self-Verification
Social psychologists have documented that feeling good about ourselves and maintaining positive self-esteem is a powerful motivator of human behavior (Tavris & Aronson, 2008). In the United States, members of the predominant culture typically think very highly of themselves and view themselves as good people who are above average on many desirable traits (Ehrlinger, Gilovich, & Ross, 2005). Often, our behavior, attitudes, and beliefs are affected when we experience a threat to our...