|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
The third of 5 common workplace group dynamics that inhibit witnesses of bullying to intervene or help.
Dissonance
This explanation for a group's inaction is about cognitions, beliefs held by the potential helper, that freeze the group members as individuals. Let's get inside Sally's head (from the above illustration) and try to understand her thought process. Leon Festinger is the psychologist most closely associated with cognitive dissonance theory.
Sally herself had transferred to another supervisor to escape Zoe's unpredictable rages and admired Helen's ability to get along with her.
Chris had once held Zoe's position as boss, but gave it up after Zoe was hired as a staff therapist. Chris' life was made completely miserable trying to counter Zoe's political tricks and sabotage. So she abdicated and Zoe got her job, the one she wanted.
Chris confided in Helen that she was terrified of Zoe and managed to avoid contact as much as possible. She even took to hiding in her office until Zoe passed so she wouldn't have to face her in the hall.
Helen was later driven from the department by Zoe. Despite the similar experiences with Zoe by Chris and Sally, both refused to meet to comfort Helen after she left. Both left unanswered telephone messages left by Helen. Later, when Helen sued the corporation, Helen's attorneys interviewed Chris and Sally and concluded that their testimony would damage Helen's case as they both chose to support Zoe's position.
Sally had one set of beliefs about Helen's fate--Helen was bullied out of her job by Zoe who makes life miserable. Equally strong is the knowledge--I am staying in a miserable workplace. There is a natural tension between the two beliefs. Attached to the thoughts are emotions, so the tension is real and potentially gut-wrenching. According to Festinger's theory, Sally is motivated to make herself comfortable by turning off the tension, of stopping the mental conflict.
The most common way to reduce dissonance is to exaggerate the positives of one belief and the negatives of the other, so you can define a clearer choice of one over the other. For example, Sally could focus on the belief about the Helen's unfair banishment, but that could lead her to support Helen in court, risking good relations with Zoe, the tyrant. Sally, like most people, chooses the path of least resistance. She decides to downplay the second belief and conclude that where she works isn't so miserable after all. She rationalizes to herself that she would have to be stupid to stay in such a place and she is not stupid. Therefore, Zoe's world with Zoe in it must not be so bad; Helen was wrong.
As with all these phenomena, we're simply trying to explain why people don't help more. Dissonance is not about morality. Once people rationalize away internal conflicts to make themselves feel good, the likelihood of them taking the humane, but more difficult, action decreases.
You can probably see how dissonance is related to siding with the bully. Since the survivor and bully are both still there, the survivor engages in a mental calculus of sorts to justify staying. She concludes, like Sally, that Zoe is more important that Helen who is gone anyway.
Note: This page may be copied for personal use only. It is copyright protected © 2003, Gary and Ruth Namie
Abilene Paradox | Groupthink | Dissonance | Side w/ Bully | Targets as Losers