SEEING IS COMMITTING - A LONGITUDINAL-STUDY OF BOLSTERING COMMITMENT IN AMNIOCENTESIS PATIENTS

In the face of a challenge to one's commitment, situational factors ma y focus attention on aspects of the commitment that bolster the commit ment. Forty-six women were interviewed at four times: immediately befo re (1) and after (2) ultrasound and amniocentesis procedures and a few days before (3) and after (4) receiving amniocentesis test results. N umber of fetal part, seen by the woman during the ultrasound examinati on predicted degree of commitment at Time 3, controlling for Time 1 as sessments of commitment and perceived choice about becoming pregnant. Choice was associated with commitment at Time 1 but not at Time 3. Thr ee dimensions of commitment were explored-affective, behavioral, and c ognitive. Number of fetal parts seen predicted changes in affective an d behavioral commitment from Time 1 to Time 3. Cognitive commitment de creased while women awaited test results, particularly in planned preg nancies-but less so for women who saw more fetal parts The choice-comm itment relation and the multidimensionality of commitment are discusse d.