The Psychology of Resistance: Why Our Minds Avoid Work and How to overcome it
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.32628/IJSRSET251297Keywords:
Cognitive overload, Decision fatigue, Dopamine, Mental fatigue, Motivation, Procrastination, Self-regulationAbstract
Resistance to work is a predominant behavioral challenge modulated by mental strain, fatigue, fear of failure, perfectionism and burnout. The key factors include low interest, burnout or exhaustion, procrastination and resistance to change or reluctance towards new experiences that often cause individuals to avoid their tasks. However, the brain’s constant need for immediate rewards over long-term gains also solidify this resistance. This article identifies the intrinsic factors of work resistance, validated by data illustrations and cognitive theories, and provides feasible solutions such as thought reframing, behavioral conditioning, systematic work methods and cognitive management techniques. By discerning these cognitive constraints, individuals can enhance an effective, resilient and practical approach to work, eventually formulating operational capacity and overall quality of life.
Downloads
References
Armenakis, A. A., & Harris, S. G. (2009). Reflections: our Journey in Organizational Change Research and Practice. Journal of Change Management, 9(2), 127–142. https://doi.org/10.1080/14697010902879079
Brehm, J. W. (1966). A theory of psychological reactance. Academic Press.
Di Fabio, A., & Bernaud, J.-L. (2014). Emotional intelligence or personality in resistance to change? Empirical results in an Italian health care context. Journal of Employment Counseling, 51(4), 146–157. https://doi.org/ 10.1002/j.2161-1920.2014.00048.x
F. M. Sirois and T. A. Pychyl. (2013). "Procrastination and the priority of short-term mood regulation: Consequences for future self," Social and Personality Psychology Compass, vol. 7, no. 2, pp. 115–127, https://doi.org/10.1111/spc3.12011
Festinger, L. (1957). A theory of cognitive dissonance. Stanford University Press.
Kahneman, D., & Tversky, A. (1979). Prospect theory: An analysis of decision under risk. Econometrica, 47(2), 263–291. https://doi.org/10.2307/1914185
M. M. Khan, S. Sarwar, and S. N. Khan. (2021)."The psychology of resistance to change: The antidotal effect of organizational justice, support and leader-member exchange," Frontiers in Psychology, vol. 12, p. 678952. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2021.678952
Miller, V. D., Johnson, J. R., & Grau, J. (2004). Antecedents to willingness to participate in a planned organizational change. Journal of Applied Communication Research, 32(1), 59–80. https://doi.org/10.1080/0090988042000069068
Oreg, S. (2006). Personality, context, and resistance to organizational change. European Journal of Work and Organizational Psychology, 15(1), 73–101. https://doi.org/10.1080/13594320500451247
Oreg, S., & Sverdlik, N. (2011). Ambivalence toward imposed change: The conflict between dispositional resistance to change and the orientation toward the change agent. Journal of Applied Psychology, 96(2), 337–349. https://doi.org/10.1037/a0021100
Paloş, R., Vîrgă, D., & Craşovan, M. (2022). Resistance to change as a mediator between conscientiousness and teachers’ job satisfaction: The moderating role of learning goals orientation. Frontiers in Psychology, 12, 757681. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2021.757681
Pardo del Val, M. and Martínez Fuentes, C. (2003). "Resistance to change: a literature review and empirical study", Management Decision, Vol. 41 No. 2, pp. 148-155. https://doi.org/10.1108/00251740310457597
Rafferty, A. E., Jimmieson, N. L., & Armenakis, A. A. (2013). Change readiness: A multilevel review. Journal of Management, 39(1), 110–135. https://doi.org/10.1177/0149206312457417
Turgut, S., Michel, A., Rothenhöfer, L. M., & Sonntag, K. (2016). Dispositional resistance to change and emotional exhaustion: moderating effects at the work-unit level. European Journal of Work and Organizational Psychology, 25(5), 735–750. https://doi.org/10.1080/1359432X.2016.1157583
Van Dam, K., Oreg, S., & Schyns, B. (2008). Daily work contexts and resistance to organisational change: The role of leader-member exchange, development climate, and change process characteristics. Applied Psychology, 57(2), 313–334. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1464-0597.2007.00311.x
Downloads
Published
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2025 International Journal of Scientific Research in Science, Engineering and Technology

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.