Jim has written a book, but it looks like he will not get it published. He said, "I don't care about publishing it. It is the joy of writing it that counts." This illustrates ___________.

A) value conflict
B) effort rationalization
C) effort justification
D) freedom of choice

This illustrates effort justification, which refers to the tendency for individuals to justify their hard work and effort in a task even if the outcome is not successful or rewarding. In this case, Jim is finding fulfillment in the act of writing, even if he will not achieve traditional measures of success like publishing.