Role of regulatory focus in the asymmetric perception of gains versus nonlosses and of losses versus nongains

2019 ◽  
Vol 47 (6) ◽  
pp. 1-14 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yanwei Shi ◽  
Fuming Xu ◽  
Zhuang She ◽  
Peng Xiang ◽  
Hui Zhang
Keyword(s):  
Regulatory Focus ◽  
Perceived Fairness ◽  
Prevention Focus ◽  
Promotion Focus ◽  
Outcome Fairness ◽  
Priming Task ◽  
Situational Prevention ◽  
Perceived Unfairness

We tested the effects of regulatory focus on the asymmetric perception of losses versus nongains and of gains versus nonlosses. In Experiment 1, situational regulatory focus was manipulated by a priming task and then participants evaluated the outcome fairness of different distribution scenarios. In Experiment 2, participants completed the Regulatory Focus Questionnaire and then evaluated the outcome fairness of various distribution scenarios. Results showed that: (a) The gains versus nonlosses asymmetry in perceived fairness was stronger with a situational promotion focus, and the losses versus nongains asymmetry in perceived unfairness was stronger with a situational prevention focus; (b) The losses versus nongains asymmetry in perceived unfairness was stronger with a chronic prevention focus, whereas the gains versus nonlosses asymmetry in perceived fairness was positive with both a chronic promotion focus and chronic prevention focus. Taken together, the findings demonstrate that a situational regulatory focus has more extensive effects than does a chronic regulatory focus on asymmetric perceptions of outcomes. These results offer insights for understanding the differences between chronic and situational regulatory focus.

scholarly journals The impact of challenge-hindrance stressors on creativity: the mediating role of regulatory focus and the moderating role of proactive personality

2021 ◽  
Vol 245 ◽  
pp. 03031
Author(s):  
Yixin Yang ◽  
Mingjian Zhou
Keyword(s):  
Regulatory Focus ◽  
Proactive Personality ◽  
Regulatory Focus Theory ◽  
Prevention Focus ◽  
Promotion Focus ◽  
Mediating Role ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Moderating Role ◽  
Focus Theory

Based on the challenge-hindrance stressors framework and regulatory focus theory, this study explored the mediating role of promotion focus between challenge stressors and employee creativity, and the mediating role of prevention focus between hindrance stressors and creativity. In addition, we further explored the moderating role of proactive personality in this model. In the end, we discuss implications and limitations of our argument for theory and practices.

The role of regulatory focus and team mindfulness in megaproject conflicts

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Dedong Wang ◽  
Yuxue Wang
Keyword(s):  
Regulatory Focus ◽  
Task Conflict ◽  
Relationship Conflict ◽  
Prevention Focus ◽  
Promotion Focus ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Negative Effect ◽  
Process Conflict ◽  
Positive Effect

PurposeProject conflicts are inevitable. Megaproject conflicts need to be managed across different levels. The purpose of this study is to investigate the role of individual-level regulatory focus and organization-level team mindfulness in managing megaproject conflicts.Design/methodology/approachBy combining the individual motivation basis and organizational background of conflict resolution, this study constructed a multi-level structural equation model. The hypothesis is tested based on data collected from 182 respondents.FindingsThe findings of this study show that project manager's promotion focus has a direct positive effect on task conflict and a negative effect on relationship conflict. Prevention focus has a positive effect on relationship conflict and a negative effect on task conflict and process conflict. Team mindfulness has a negative effect on relationship conflict and process conflict and a positive effect on task conflict. Task conflict was negatively affected by the interaction between team mindfulness and promotion focus. The interaction between team mindfulness and prevention focus had a positive effect on relationship conflict.Originality/valueThis study verifies the positive role of project manager's promotion focus and prevention focus in conflict management and clarifies the strengthening role of team mindfulness in constructive conflict and the prevention role in destructive conflict. This study also confirms that team mindfulness can act as a reinforcement and complementary factor of regulatory focus in megaproject conflict, contributing to the current understanding of the project manager's role in megaproject mindfulness contexts.

scholarly journals Regulatory Focus, Boundaryless Mindset, and Creativity Among Chinese College Students: A Trait Activation Perspective

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nan Luo ◽  
Xun Xin ◽  
Haihong Li ◽  
Xuan Yu
Keyword(s):  
College Students ◽  
Life Events ◽  
Regulatory Focus ◽  
Stressful Life Events ◽  
Stressful Life ◽  
Prevention Focus ◽  
Promotion Focus ◽  
Chinese College Students ◽  
The Impact

We explored the impact of two types of regulatory focus on creativity among 330 college students in China, along with the mediating role of boundaryless mindset and moderating role of stressful life events. A three-wave survey showed that both promotion focus and prevention focus positively predicted the creativity in college students, but the positive effect of promotion focus on the creativity in college students was greater than that of prevention focus; boundaryless mindset mediated the relationship between regulatory focus and creativity; stressful life events moderated the direct effect that promotion focus has on boundaryless mindset, and it also moderated the indirect effect that promotion focus has on creativity via boundaryless mindset. These results extend the existing research on creativity and establish a new mediating mechanism and boundary conditions between regulatory focus and creativity in college students. Finally, we hope to provide a reference for innovation education.

ENTREPRENEURIAL PASSION AND ORGANIZATIONAL INNOVATION: THE MODERATING ROLE OF THE REGULATORY FOCUS OF ENTREPRENEURS

2017 ◽  
Vol 22 (03) ◽  
pp. 1750020 ◽  
Author(s):  
CUIPING MA ◽  
JIBAO GU ◽  
HEFU LIU ◽  
QINGQIONG ZHANG
Keyword(s):  
Regulatory Focus ◽  
Organizational Innovation ◽  
New Ventures ◽  
Prevention Focus ◽  
Promotion Focus ◽  
Entrepreneurial Passion ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
Moderating Role ◽  
Practical Implications

This study examines the relationship between entrepreneurial passion and organizational innovation in new ventures. We also investigate the moderating role of entrepreneurs’ cognition, namely regulatory focus, in the relationship between entrepreneurial passion and organizational innovation. Findings from data collected from 141 Chinese new ventures indicated that entrepreneurial passion is positively related to organizational innovation. Moreover, the regulatory focus of entrepreneurs moderates the relationship between entrepreneurial passion and organizational innovation, such that the relationship is stronger under high promotion focus or low prevention focus. Theoretical and practical implications of these findings are discussed.

scholarly journals Motivation and Second Language Pragmatics: A Regulatory Focus Perspective

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yiran Zhang ◽  
Mostafa Papi
Keyword(s):  
Second Language ◽  
Regulatory Focus ◽  
Speech Acts ◽  
Pragmatic Competence ◽  
Prevention Focus ◽  
Promotion Focus ◽  
Completion Task ◽  
Different Levels ◽  
Pragmatic Production

This study investigates how learners’ chronic motivational characteristics, that is their regulatory focus (Higgins, 1997), can account for differences in L2 pragmatic production in general and across situations with different levels of power, social distance, and imposition. One-hundred-twenty-one L1-Mandarin learners of English as a second language completed a regulatory focus questionnaire and a discourse completion task focusing on two types of speech acts: request and opinion. Multiple regression results showed that learners’ promotion focus, concerned with advancement, growth, accomplishments, positively predicted their pragmatic production in general, and especially in situations where the learner is subject to a higher degree of imposition, has lower power and is socially distant from the interlocutor. On the other hand, the prevention focus, which is concerned with safety, security, and calmness, negatively predicted pragmatic production, especially in those situations. The findings provide support for the role of motivational dispositions in the level of learners’ L2 pragmatic competence. Theoretical and instructional implications are discussed.

scholarly journals Promoting Water Conservation Based on the Matching Effect of Regulatory Focus and Emotion

2021 ◽  
Vol 18 (4) ◽  
pp. 1680
Author(s):  
Xiaomei Wang ◽  
Lin Zhang ◽  
Xiaoyu Jiang ◽  
Jia Wang
Keyword(s):  
Regulatory Focus ◽  
Water Conservation ◽  
Information Dissemination ◽  
Interactive Effect ◽  
Water Saving ◽  
Prevention Focus ◽  
Matching Effect ◽  
Promotion Focus ◽  
Cognitive Motivation ◽  
Willingness To Engage

This study aimed to examine the effects of regulatory focus and emotions on water-saving information dissemination. The findings revealed that when water-saving information is framed with a prevention focus, sad emotion fosters more active willingness to engage with the information dissemination than cheerful emotion. However, a promotion focus coupled with cheerfulness is slightly more persuasive than a promotion focus coupled with sadness. Furthermore, compared to the individuals in the nonfit group of emotions who had a regulatory focus, the individuals in the fit group formed a more favorable water-saving attitude and demonstrated a slightly higher willingness to disseminate water-saving information. This article is the first to contribute to exploring the dissemination of water-saving information from the perspective of the interactive effect of individual cognitive motivation and emotion.

scholarly journals Effects of negative social information on the willingness to support charities: the moderating role of regulatory focus

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nhat Quang Le ◽  
Magne Supphellen ◽  
Richard P. Bagozzi
Keyword(s):  
Regulatory Focus ◽  
Social Information ◽  
Harmful Effect ◽  
Promotion Focus ◽  
Positive Effects ◽  
Willingness To Donate ◽  
The Social ◽  
Group Members ◽  
Harmful Effects

Abstract Donation campaigns that have an unsuccessful start often trigger negative social information in the social and mass media (e.g., “few others have donated so far”). Little research exists to shed light on the effects of such information in the context of donations. Across three studies involving different causes and different channels of communication, we find harmful effects of negative social information on the willingness to donate among prevention-focused consumers but tendencies of positive effects for consumers with a promotion focus. We identify response efficacy as a mediator of the harmful effect for prevention-focused consumers. This finding suggests that social proof theory is not sufficient to explain the harmful effect of negative social information. Alternative mediators are tested and rejected. The findings imply that an effective strategy to avoid harmful effects of negative social information is to trigger a promotion focus in target group members and communicate facts about charity effectiveness.

Workplace resources and employee resilience: the role of regulatory profiles

2017 ◽  
Vol 22 (4) ◽  
pp. 419-435 ◽  
Author(s):  
Joana Kuntz ◽  
Philippa Connell ◽  
Katharina Näswall
Keyword(s):  
Regulatory Focus ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
Negative Effects ◽  
Prevention Focus ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Joint Effects ◽  
Main Effects ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
Practical Implications

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to investigate the independent and joint effects of regulatory focus (promotion and prevention) on the relationship between workplace resources (support and feedback) and employee resilience. It proposed that, at high levels of resource availability, a high promotion-high prevention profile would elicit the highest levels of employee resilience. Design/methodology/approach An online survey was completed by 162 white collar employees from four organisations. In addition to the main effects, two- and three-way interactions were examined to test hypotheses. Findings Promotion focus was positively associated with employee resilience, and though the relationship between prevention focus and resilience was non-significant, both regulatory foci buffered against the negative effects of low resources. Employees with high promotion-high prevention focus displayed the highest levels of resilience, especially at high levels of feedback. Conversely, the resilience of low promotion-low prevention individuals was susceptible to feedback availability. Practical implications Employee resilience development and demonstration are contingent not only on resources, but also on psychological processes, particularly regulatory focus. Organisations will develop resilience to the extent that they provide workplace resources, and, importantly, stimulate both promotion and prevention perspectives on resource management. Originality/value This study extends the research on regulatory focus theory by testing the joint effects of promotion and prevention foci on workplace resources, and the relationship between regulatory foci and employee resilience.

Achievement vs avoidance

2018 ◽  
Vol 26 (3) ◽  
pp. 14-16
Keyword(s):  
Emotional Exhaustion ◽  
Regulatory Focus ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
Work Performance ◽  
Reading Time ◽  
Prevention Focus ◽  
Promotion Focus ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Pertinent Information ◽  
Practical Implications

Purpose This paper aims to review the latest management developments across the globe and pinpoint practical implications from cutting-edge research and case studies. Design/methodology/approach This briefing is prepared by an independent writer who adds their own impartial comments and places the articles in context. Findings The effects of a promotion focus, prevention focus, and a dual regulatory focus on work performance, sickness, and emotional exhaustion were investigated for managers and non-managers in The Netherlands. The dual focus relates more to managers, who have more complex roles and are called on to be able to act in flexible ways on a continual basis. It was tentatively found that a dual focus is not as beneficial as previously expected, and perhaps enhancing a promotion focus for managers and non-managers is more advantageous for an organization. Practical implications The paper provides strategic insights and practical thinking that have influenced some of the world’s leading organizations. Originality/value The briefing saves busy executives and researchers hours of reading time by selecting only the very best, most pertinent, information and presenting it in a condensed and easy-to-digest format.

Regulatory focus and learning

2020 ◽  
Vol 44 (4/5) ◽  
pp. 425-447 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jessica E. Federman
Keyword(s):  
Informal Learning ◽  
Regulatory Focus ◽  
Structured Interview ◽  
Learning Performance ◽  
Prevention Focus ◽  
Promotion Focus ◽  
Learning Behaviors ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Differential Effects ◽  
Performance Success

Purpose The purpose of this study is to understand how regulatory focus influences informal learning behaviors. A growing body of research indicates that regulatory focus has significant consequences for goal pursuit in the workplace, yet it has not been readily studied or applied to the field of human resource management (Johnson et al., 2015). This is one of the few studies to examine the relationship between informal learning and regulatory focus theory that can be applied to the training and development field. Design/methodology/approach Using a qualitative research design, a semi-structured interview was used to increase the comparability of participant responses. Questions were asked in an open-ended manner, allowing for a structured approach for collecting information yet providing flexibility for the sake of gaining more in-depth responses. An interview guideline was used to standardize the questions and ensure similar kinds of information were obtained across participants. A typological analytic approach (Lincoln and Guba, 1985) was used to analyze the data. Findings In a sample of 16 working adults, (44% female and 56% male), participants who were identified as having either a promotion- or prevention-focus orientation were interviewed about types of informal learning strategies they used. The results revealed that performance success and failure have differential effects on learning behaviors for prevention and promotion-focus systems. Stress and errors motivate informal learning for the prevention-focus system, whereas positive affect motivates informal learning for the promotion-focus system. Prevention-focus participants articulated greater use of vicarious learning, reflective thinking and feedback-seeking as methods of informal learning. Promotion-focus participants articulated greater use of experimentation methods of informal learning. Originality/value This study provides an in-depth understanding of how regulatory focus influences informal learning. Few studies have considered how regulatory focus promotes distinct strategies and inclinations toward using informal learning. Performance success and failure have differential effects on informal learning behaviors for regulatory promotion and prevention systems. This has theoretical and practical implications in consideration of why employees engage in informal learning, and the tactics and strategies they use for learning.

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