{"id":{"repo_id":"gsu","oai_identifier":"oai:digitalcommons.georgiasouthern.edu:etd-1441"},"canonical_url":"https://search.dev.ndltd.org/etd/gsu/oai:digitalcommons.georgiasouthern.edu:etd-1441","repository":{"repo_id":"gsu","name":"Georgia Southern University","base_url":"https://digitalcommons.georgiasouthern.edu/do/oai/"},"display":{"title":"Does Self-Complexity Predict Dishonest Behavior Via Cognitive Dissonance?","abstract":"Psychologists disagree about what, if any, benefit high self-complexity might provide. Although Linville (1987) demonstrated that high complexity buffers against stress, other studies have found that it leads to more negative outcomes in the long term (Diehl et al., 2001). Cognitive dissonance is an important factor in regulating behavior, particularly moral behavior (Aronson, Fried, & Stone, 1999), and may explain how self-complexity leads to negative life outcomes. The present study examined if high self-complexity might buffer against the tension of cognitive dissonance, thus increasing the likelihood of dishonest behavior. Participants completed a selfcomplexity measure, and then they completed a dissonance-rousing task where they must choose between providing honest answers or maximizing their personal gain. Regression analysis showed that high self-complexity predicted greater dishonest behavior, but a disruption of cognitive dissonance could not account for this relationship. The possibility of personality as a potential mediating variable for the established relationship, and avenues for future research, are discussed.","abstract_html":"Psychologists disagree about what, if any, benefit high self-complexity might provide. Although Linville (1987) demonstrated that high complexity buffers against stress, other studies have found that it leads to more negative outcomes in the long term (Diehl et al., 2001). Cognitive dissonance is an important factor in regulating behavior, particularly moral behavior (Aronson, Fried, & Stone, 1999), and may explain how self-complexity leads to negative life outcomes. The present study examined if high self-complexity might buffer against the tension of cognitive dissonance, thus increasing the likelihood of dishonest behavior. Participants completed a selfcomplexity measure, and then they completed a dissonance-rousing task where they must choose between providing honest answers or maximizing their personal gain. Regression analysis showed that high self-complexity predicted greater dishonest behavior, but a disruption of cognitive dissonance could not account for this relationship. The possibility of personality as a potential mediating variable for the established relationship, and avenues for future research, are discussed.","abstract_has_math":false,"creators":["Heath, William H."],"institution":null,"degree_name":"Master of Science in Experimental Psychology (M.S.)","degree_level":"Thesis (open access)","degree_discipline":"Department of Psychology","degree_department":null,"school":null,"contributors":["Amy A. Hackney","William D. McIntosh"],"advisors":[],"committee_chairs":[],"committee_members":[],"year":2011,"date_issued":"2011-01-01T08:00:00Z","date_published":"2011-01-01T08:00:00Z","updated_at":"2026-07-24T02:26:52Z","subjects":["ETD","Self-complexity","Cognitive dissonance","Honesty"],"languages":[],"rights":[],"rights_urls":[],"identifier_entries":[]},"links":{"outbound_url":"https://digitalcommons.georgiasouthern.edu/etd/441","outbound_label":"Repository record","outbound_source":"dc:identifier"},"metadata_groups":[{"id":"people","label":"People","entries":[{"key":"dc:contributor","label":"Contributor","values":["Amy A. Hackney","William D. McIntosh"]},{"key":"dc:creator","label":"Author","values":["Heath, William H."]}]},{"id":"academic_context","label":"Academic Context","entries":[{"key":"dc:date.available","label":"Dc Date Available","values":["2013-10-17T07:00:00Z"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_discipline","label":"Discipline","values":["Department of Psychology"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_level","label":"Degree Level","values":["Thesis (open access)"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_name","label":"Degree Name","values":["Master of Science in Experimental Psychology (M.S.)"]}]},{"id":"subjects_keywords","label":"Subjects and Keywords","entries":[{"key":"dc:subject","label":"Dc Subject","values":["ETD","Self-complexity","Cognitive dissonance","Honesty"]}]},{"id":"identifiers","label":"Identifiers","entries":[{"key":"dc:identifier","label":"Identifier","values":["https://digitalcommons.georgiasouthern.edu/etd/441"]}]},{"id":"additional","label":"Additional Metadata","entries":[{"key":"dc:description.abstract","label":"Abstract","values":["Psychologists disagree about what, if any, benefit high self-complexity might provide. Although Linville (1987) demonstrated that high complexity buffers against stress, other studies have found that it leads to more negative outcomes in the long term (Diehl et al., 2001). Cognitive dissonance is an important factor in regulating behavior, particularly moral behavior (Aronson, Fried, & Stone, 1999), and may explain how self-complexity leads to negative life outcomes. The present study examined if high self-complexity might buffer against the tension of cognitive dissonance, thus increasing the likelihood of dishonest behavior. Participants completed a selfcomplexity measure, and then they completed a dissonance-rousing task where they must choose between providing honest answers or maximizing their personal gain. Regression analysis showed that high self-complexity predicted greater dishonest behavior, but a disruption of cognitive dissonance could not account for this relationship. The possibility of personality as a potential mediating variable for the established relationship, and avenues for future research, are discussed."]},{"key":"dc:title","label":"Title","values":["Does Self-Complexity Predict Dishonest Behavior Via Cognitive Dissonance?"]}]}],"canonical_facts":{"dc:contributor":["Amy A. Hackney","William D. McIntosh"],"dc:creator":["Heath, William H."],"dc:date.available":["2013-10-17T07:00:00Z"],"dc:description.abstract":["Psychologists disagree about what, if any, benefit high self-complexity might provide. Although Linville (1987) demonstrated that high complexity buffers against stress, other studies have found that it leads to more negative outcomes in the long term (Diehl et al., 2001). Cognitive dissonance is an important factor in regulating behavior, particularly moral behavior (Aronson, Fried, & Stone, 1999), and may explain how self-complexity leads to negative life outcomes. The present study examined if high self-complexity might buffer against the tension of cognitive dissonance, thus increasing the likelihood of dishonest behavior. Participants completed a selfcomplexity measure, and then they completed a dissonance-rousing task where they must choose between providing honest answers or maximizing their personal gain. Regression analysis showed that high self-complexity predicted greater dishonest behavior, but a disruption of cognitive dissonance could not account for this relationship. The possibility of personality as a potential mediating variable for the established relationship, and avenues for future research, are discussed."],"dc:identifier":["https://digitalcommons.georgiasouthern.edu/etd/441"],"dc:subject":["ETD","Self-complexity","Cognitive dissonance","Honesty"],"dc:title":["Does Self-Complexity Predict Dishonest Behavior Via Cognitive Dissonance?"],"thesis:degree_discipline":["Department of Psychology"],"thesis:degree_level":["Thesis (open access)"],"thesis:degree_name":["Master of Science in Experimental Psychology (M.S.)"]},"updated_at":"2026-07-24T02:26:52Z"}