Intrapersonal Conflicts in Higher Education Institutions: An Investigation

Although existing research has predominantly focused on workplace conflicts, intrapersonal conflicts, such as cognitive dissonance, affective dissatisfaction, and role tension, have received comparatively less attention. This study examined the impact of intrapersonal conflict on job satisfaction and productivity within a higher education institution, with a particular focus on the mediating roles of cognitive overload, emotional regulation, and self-efficacy. Theories of cognitive dissonance, self-determination, stress, and coping guided the study. A cross-sectional survey design was employed, involving 206 participants. Data were analyzed using one-sample t-tests and structural equation modeling. The findings show that although intrapersonal conflict has a direct, significant, and adverse effect on job satisfaction, its impact on productivity is insignificant and negative. The results further reveal that intrapersonal conflict significantly increases cognitive overload, which, in turn, negatively affects job satisfaction and productivity. The results additionally demonstrate that intrapersonal conflict improves staff emotional regulation and self-efficacy. However, emotional regulation and self-efficacy do not significantly mediate the relationship between intrapersonal conflict and staff productivity and job satisfaction. These findings underscore the indirect mechanisms through which internal conflict shapes workplace experiences and suggest that additional mediators, such as emotional exhaustion and role ambiguity, may be influential. This study challenges prevailing assumptions about the buffering role of self-regulatory resources in workplace stress and advocates for addressing cognitive load in conflict research. The study further recommends organizational interventions aimed at enhancing role clarity and reducing stress to improve staff satisfaction and productivity.