Uniquely U: The effects of Tertiary Education Disciplines on the Development of Dual Self-Construals and its impact on Conflict Management Tendencies

• Main Author: CHOO, Wan Yee
• Format: text
• Language: English
• Published: Institutional Knowledge at Singapore Management University 2019
• Subjects: Self-Construal; Independent; Interdependent; Cultures; Dual Self-Construals; Education; Disciplines; Conflict Management; Communication; Developmental Psychology; Educational Psychology
• Online Access: https://ink.library.smu.edu.sg/etd_coll/209; https://ink.library.smu.edu.sg/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1209&context=etd_coll
• Institution: Singapore Management University

While the effects of self-construal on one’s conflict management tendencies are well-documented, the effects of dual self-construals on conflict management tendencies are under-explored. In present paper, two studies were conducted to explore how tertiary education disciplines could influence the development of dual self-construals among Singaporeans which, in turn, determine their conflict management tendencies, as well as, how context influences the switch of different self-construals and conflict management styles. Our findings revealed that individuals from business disciplines displayed greater competitive conflict management tendencies than their peers from social science disciplines and this relationship is mediated by their endorsement of independent self-construal. These findings reiterate the implications of self-construal on conflict management tendencies. Specifically, within societies like Singapore, individual differences in the development of dual self-construals is associated with one’s tertiary education disciplines. This then influences conflict management tendencies across individuals with different educational background, yielding significant theoretical and practical implications