Although I consider commitment to be characterized by a conscious mindset, I do not rule out the possibility that there may be unconscious influences (Bargh & Chartrand, 1999). In some of the theoretical perspectives reviewed by Klein et al., commitment is presumed to develop in an effort to justify pervious decisions (e.g., Staw, 1981) and / or to maintain a stable self-image (Salancik, 1977). These objectives may require that the true reason for the commitment remain unconscious. However, according to Staw and Salancik, the individual develops an attitude that is consistent with the behavior. This attitude can be considered one manifestation of a commitment mindset. These unconscious processes are likely to operate in a changing workplace in the same way they do under more stable conditions. For example, organizational decision makers are just as likely to escalate their commitment to a failing course of action today as they ever were (see Staw, 1997). Therefore, understanding these commitment processes and their implications for behavior continues to be important. However, for present purposes, I focus attention on theory and research involving conscious processes of relevance to the establishment, maintenance, and consequences of commitment to organizations and related foci. Specifically, I define commitment as “an internal force (mindset) that binds an individual to a target (social or nonsocial) and / or to a course of action of relevance to that target. “with this definition in mind, we can now turn our attention to the issue of relevance.