Personal need for structure shapes the perceived impact of reduced personal control

• Published in: Personality and individual differences Vol. 170; p. 110478
• Main Authors: Noordewier, Marret K., Rutjens, Bastiaan T.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford Elsevier Ltd 15.02.2021; Elsevier Science Ltd
• Subjects: Aversive; Control; Control-threat; Evaluation; Individual differences; Motivation; Personal control; Personal need for structure; Preregistration; Control-threat; Evaluation; Control; Preregistration; Personal need for structure
• ISSN: 0191-8869; 1873-3549
• DOI: 10.1016/j.paid.2020.110478

Control is a fundamental motive in people's lives and previous research converges on the notion that lack of control is aversive because it undermines epistemic beliefs in the nonrandomness of the world. A key motivation underlying control is therefore the need to perceive the world as structured. However, strong individual differences exist in the extent to which people need structure. Based on this, we reasoned that if structure is indeed a key motive underlying control motivation, instances of low control should be more impactful for people with a high need for structure. We tested this logic in three studies. Results confirmed that participants with high personal need for structure evaluated a control-threat as more important and more negative than those with low personal need for structure. Need for structure did not impact evaluations of instances of control-affirmation. The current research shows that control is indeed important, but even more so for people with a high need for structure. •We provide evidence for a key theoretical tenet of Compensatory Control Theory.•Control-threat is more impactful by high (vs low) need for structure participants.•Perceptions of control-affirmation did not differ as a result of need for structure.•Control is important, but even more so for high need for structure people.