Understanding Resistance to Change: A Psychological Perspective

Motivation

A variety of psychological theories can shed light on why people resist change. First aspect is the motivation to change. Following theories speak about using motivation to overcome this resistance.

1. Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs: Changes that threaten to diminish our basic needs (physiological, safety, love/belonging, esteem) are likely to be met with resistance. Conversely, changes that promise to fulfill higher-level needs (self-actualization) may be more readily accepted

2. Rewards and punishments: Behaviourist thinking encourages thought about the rewards or penalties associated with change. It also warns that previous changes may have conditioned people to respond in a particular way – which may be disproportionate to the change they are currently experiencing. Positive reinforcement can encourage acceptance of change, while negative reinforcement can lead to resistance.

3. Expectancy theory: suggests that engagement with or resistance to change will be impacted by the way a person values the outcome (positive or negative), and whether they believe they can make a difference to that outcome.

4. Two-Factor Theory, Theory X and Theory Y: Herzberg’s motivation-hygiene theory suggests that change which degrades people’s experience of the ‘hygiene factors’ will reduce their job satisfaction, and is likely to be met with resistance. Combined with McGregor’s ‘theory X’ and ‘theory Y’, Herzberg’s research and the views expressed by Pink suggest that resistance might be reduced by giving people increased autonomy and respect – the opportunity to achieve and grow, both personally and professionally.

5. Rogers’s writing about personal growth supports this. His writing further suggests the great value of facilitative leadership offering congruence, empathy and unconditional positive regard for people. This supports the desire people have to develop and grow, and as a result encourages a positive response to change.

6. Schein survival and learning anxieties: Learning anxiety stems from the fear of the unknown and the discomfort associated with acquiring new skills and knowledge. Individuals may resist change as they fear the potential challenges and failures. Survival anxiety arises from the fear of losing one's current identity, status, or security. People may cling to old habits and resist new approaches to maintain a sense of control. To overcome these anxieties, organizations can foster a culture of psychological safety, provide clear communication and support, offer training and development opportunities, encourage experimentation and learning, and celebrate small wins.

Individual differences

1. Personality Types: MyersBriggs 16 personality types highlight the differences between people highlighted by considering personality ‘type’ have implications for many aspects of change. The MBTI model is based on four pairs of opposite ‘preferences’ that people

   show. In each case, neither preference is better than its opposite; they simply lead to different choices

2. Learning Styles: When planning a change initiative, and particularly the communications and learning elements around it, this learning styles framework can act as a helpful checklist to ensure that as many people as possible are being reached through their own preferred medium of communication.

Neuroscience

1. A different part of the brain (the prefrontal cortex) is used to process new information or options. In a change situation this area is being used very much more – and it is very energy-intensive. People operate on the basis of ‘mental maps’ of the world around them – sets of assumptions and beliefs that guide behaviour. Changing these is difficult and requires ‘lightbulb moments’ – ‘moments of insight’ – which have been shown to create a whole web of new neural connections in the brain.

2. Human brains are particularly responsive to mismatches between actual events and what they expect – what neuroscience calls ‘errors’. Change will create many such ‘mismatch’ signals from the environment. The area of the brain that generates these signals (the orbital frontal cortex) is closely connected to the part that operates the ‘fight, flight or freeze’ response (the amygdala). These parts of the brain requisition energy that would normally be used by the ‘thinking brain’ (the prefrontal cortex). This leads to a ‘double whammy’: emotional (fight, flight or freeze) responses are enabled and rational thought is (at least somewhat) disabled. This helps us to understand why apparently emotional and irrational responses are common during change.

3. Organizational changes often disrupt valued social contact, and this affects clear thinking.