Scholer article Flashcards
What is regulatory focus theory?
Regulatory focus theory distinguished between two coexisting motivational systems (promotion and prevention) that serve essential but different survival needs
what are the 2 core differences in regulatory focus theory?
Differences in what fundamentally motivates goal pursuit
Promotion: growth (i.e. to develop and be nurtured) and advancement
Prevention: security and safety
- Which regulatory strategies are preferred in goal pursuit
Promotion: eagerness
Prevention: vigilance
explain promotion-focused people
romotion focused people are sensitive to growth-related concerns, such as advancement and progress. They dream big and broadly, aspiring for the next big leap, pursuing ideals. They are maximally sensitive to two different outcomes: gains (success) vs. nongains (failure). Even when all is going well, promotion-focused people are looking around to see how things could go better. They are less sensitive to negative deviations from the status quo or neutral state – the difference between 0 and -1. Failure is for them captured by remaining at 0 ad failing to advanc
what strategy is good for promotion focus people? (moving towards gains and away from nongains)
eager approach strategies in goal pursuit = enthusiastically approaching matches to desired end states or gains and approaching mismatches to undesired end states or nongains. Examples are: considering multiple alternatives, emphasizing positive possibilities, focusing on the forest over the trees, prioritizing speed, and general openness to change.
explain prevention focus motivation (people)
Prevention-focused people are sensitive to security-related concerns, such as maintaining safety and upholding duties and responsibilities. This sensitivity to the absence and presence of negative outcomes is reflected in greater assigned significance to the difference between 0 and -1 than 0 and +1. They are maximally sensitive to nonlosses (maintain safety and doing what you ought to do) vs. losses.
what strategy is good from prevention focused people? (moving towards nonlosses and away from losses)
vigilant avoidance strategies in goal pursuit = avoiding mismatches to desired end states or nonlosses and avoiding matches to undesired end states or losses. Examples are: carefully vetting the alternative one considers, emphasizing the possibility that things might go wrong, focusing on the trees over the forest, prioritizing accuracy, and generally embracing norms and the status quo.
where does regulatory motivation come from?
Different styles of caretaker-child interactions contribute to individual differences in the chronic strength of the promotion and prevention systems.
how do you develop a promotion focus? ( child-caretaker interaction)
caretaker-child interactions that emphasize desired end
states as ideals (hopes, wishes and aspirations) and making advancements that move to a better state. Caretakers communicate, explicitly and implicitly, that what matters is making progress, making gains.
Example: instructional scaffolding to support children’s progress in learning
how do you develop a prevention focus? (child caretaker interaction)
caretaker-child interactions that emphasize desired end states as oughts (duties, responsibilities, and obligations) and maintain a satisfactory state rather than a worse state. Caretakers communicate that what matters is to maintain safety and security, to be prepared for what might jeopardize the current satisfactory condition.
Example: teaching children good manners and proper social practices
how can promotion and prevention orientation arise?
chronic accessibility (personality differences or institutionalized situational differences) or from temporary accessibility (momentary situational factors)
The systems are orthogonal: at a chronic level, individuals can simultaneously have strong promotion and prevention systems. However, at any given moment, one system is likely to predominate – as a result of chronic and/or momentary factors – and guide behavior.
what are the 2 measures to assess chronic differences in regulatory focus?
regulatory focus strength measure and the regulatory focus questionnaire
what is the regulatory focus strength measure?
The regulatory focus strength measure assesses differences in the chronic accessibility and sensitivity of the promotion or prevention system. Does not reveal individual history of success/ failure within the system
what is the regulatory focus questionnaire?
The questionnaire captures differences in individual histories of being successful in the promotion vs. prevention systems. The questionnaire was the top-performing scale.
how can promotion and prevention states be temporarily induced?
by having individuals remember episodes from their past when they were successful either within the promotion or prevention system.
by priming ideals or oughts or by having participants complete a maze that highlights nurturance vs. security concerns.
Another common regulatory focus induction is to ask individuals to reflect on current ideals or oughts or how current ideals and oughts have changes since childhood.
what are the 3 levels of hierarchy that have been emphasized within the regulatory focus?
system, strategy, tactic
