Behind the Wall: An Integrative Review of Defensiveness at Work
这篇综述整合了523篇同行评审文章，从心理动力学、社会认知、行为和组织四个视角，系统梳理了工作场所中防御性的定义、触发因素、演变过程及管理方法，揭示了防御性短期缓解个体压力但长期损害组织系统的核心悖论。
Defensiveness is a pervasive challenge in organizational life. It emerges when leaders resist feedback, when teams deflect accountability, and when organizations develop routines that insulate them from change. Yet, research on defensiveness is fragmented, with four different perspectives that have developed in parallel: (1) psychodynamic research on defense mechanisms, (2) social cognitive studies on defensive reasoning, (3) behavioral research on observable defenses, and (4) organizational research on defensive routines and social defenses. In this integrative review of 523 peer-reviewed articles, we synthesize findings across the four perspectives to address the following questions: What is defensiveness? What triggers defensiveness? How does defensiveness unfold in organizations? What are effective ways to manage defensiveness? Across perspectives, we uncover a core paradox: defensiveness may offer short-term relief to individuals, but it creates dysfunction in the systems it aims to protect. Understanding this paradox is key to managing defensiveness and interrupting reinforcing defensive cycles in organizations.