Resistance to Change and Performance: Toward a More Even-Handed View of Dispositional Resistance

Abstract

The tendency to resist changes is generally viewed in a negative light. In the present studies, I aim for a more balanced view and focus on the relationship between dispositional resistance to change and task performance. I demonstrate in three studies that whereas resistant individuals rate more poorly on nonroutine tasks, they outperform nonresistors on routine tasks. In Study 1, using data from 79 job applicants demonstrated, dispositional resistance to change was negatively associated with participants’ performance on nonroutine tasks and positively associated with their performance on routine tasks. These effects were replicated among 73 lab participants who performed an unstructured and dynamic nonroutine task (Study 2) and 108 participants who performed a routine and monotonous task (Study 3). The findings support a more balanced view of dispositional resistance to change, acknowledging its potential benefits for performing routine tasks, alongside its detrimental effects for performance on nonroutine tasks.