Date of Award

2025

Degree Type

Open Access Master's Thesis

Degree Name

Psychology, MA

Program

School of Social Science, Politics, and Evaluation

Advisor/Supervisor/Committee Chair

Becky Reichard

Dissertation or Thesis Committee Member

M. Gloria González Morales

Terms of Use & License Information

Terms of Use for work posted in Scholarship@Claremont.

Rights Information

© 2025 Ashley Watterson

Keywords

Attributional complexity, Cognitive flexibility, Identity integration, Leader adaptability, Multiracial identity integration, Paradox mindset

Subject Categories

Organizational Behavior and Theory

Abstract

Today’s global economy and diverse workforce require leaders to navigate complex environments, demanding that they be highly adaptable. However, few studies have examined the cognitive resources needed to support this adaptability. This study examined the relationship between multiracial identity integration (MII) and leader adaptability, exploring the cognitive mechanisms of paradox mindset and attributional complexity. Using a sample of 182 multiracial leaders in the United States, results of a path analysis revealed that MII did not significantly predict leader adaptability, paradox mindset, or attributional complexity when controlling for other factors. Unexpectedly, attributional complexity had a significant but negative relationship with leader adaptability, contrasting with previous studies that positioned attributional complexity as a facilitator of adaptability in multicultural contexts. However, paradox mindset, cognitive flexibility, learning goal orientation, and openness to experience emerged as significant positive predictors of leader adaptability. These previously unexamined relationships enhance leadership scholarship by demonstrating that a paradox mindset, cognitive flexibility, learning goal orientation, and openness to experience significantly contribute to leader adaptability.

ISBN

9798273306677

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