Situational and trait interactions among goal orientations
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Situational and trait interactions among goal orientations Kelly L. Haws & William O. Bearden & Utpal M. Dholakia
Published online: 2 February 2011 # Springer Science+Business Media, LLC 2011
Abstract Regulatory focus theory has been used to describe and explain a wide range of consumer responses. This goal orientation has been examined both as a chronic difference and a situational variable. Yet, it is unclear how a situational manipulation interacts with the individual’s chronic goal orientation. The present research investigates the potential for interactions and suggests that typical outcomes of regulatory focus are likely to emerge more clearly under circumstances in which promotion focus is manipulated. The studies demonstrate asymmetric effects in the interactions of chronic and situational manipulations of regulatory focus using different manipulations and outcome variables. The implications of these findings are significant for any research involving the manipulation of variables that can also be considered as chronic tendencies. Keywords Regulatory focus . Goal orientations . Trait–state interactions . Goal approach
1 Introduction Regulatory focus theory (Higgins 1997, 1998) identifies two distinct self-regulatory systems: a promotion focused system and a prevention focused system. A promotion The first author would like to thank the Mays Business School at Texas A&M for their financial support. K. L. Haws (*) Mays Business School, Texas A&M University, 4112 TAMU, College Station, TX 77843, USA e-mail: [email protected] W. O. Bearden Moore School of Business, University of South Carolina, 1705 College Street, Columbia, SC 29208, USA e-mail: [email protected] U. M. Dholakia JGSM, Rice University, 6100 Main Street MS 531, Houston, TX 77005, USA e-mail: [email protected]
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orientation is associated with a focus on the “ideal” self, reflected in an individual’s hopes and aspirations. In contrast, a prevention focus is associated with an emphasis upon the “ought” self, which is reflected in duties and obligations. In addition, a promotion focus emphasizes the presence of positive outcomes and the absence of errors of omission (e.g., pursuing means of advancement), whereas a prevention focus favors the absence of negative outcomes and the absence of errors of commission (i.e., avoiding mistakes; Higgins 1997; Pham and Higgins 2005). Regulatory focus theory and regulatory fit, along with the consumer’s goal orientation, is increasingly used in consumer research to explain a wide range of consumer phenomena (see Pham and Higgins 2005 for a review). More recently, regulatory engagement theory proposes that the value assigned to an experience is based upon a motivational force, which is impacted by regulatory fit, among other influences (Higgins and Scholer 2009). Previous research has shown that one or the other goal orientation can be chronically (trait-wise) or temporarily (situationally) more accessible (Avnet and Higgins 2006; Haws et al. 2010; Higgins 1997, 1998, 2000; Ra
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