Regulatory Fit

In this chapter we integrate recent theories of motivation and leadership that are focused on the self. We draw on self-regulatory focus theory and on self concept based theories of leadership in order to develop a conceptual framework
for understanding the quality of the leader–member exchange (LMX) relationship that are formed between leaders and their followers. We propose that leaders and followers with a congruent chronic regulatory focus (i.e., promotion congruency or prevention congruency) are likely to form a higher quality LMX relationship in comparison to a leader–follower dyad with a noncongruent regulatory focus. Furthermore, we suggest that promotion congruent dyads will form stronger exchange relationships in comparison to prevention-congruent individuals. We also explore the different expected outcomes (cognitions, emotions, and task behaviors) of the various forms of leader–follower dyads (congruent and noncongruent), in terms of both
promotion-oriented and prevention-oriented outcomes. Last, we discuss the implications of this framework for both theory and research for dyads, teams, and organizations.

A central tenet of regulatory focus theory is that people hold more positive appraisals and exhibit greater dedication when their regulatory focus is congruent with the orientation of the immediate context, a phenomenon known as regulatory fit. Unfortunately, scant attention has been paid to regulatory fit in interpersonal contexts and the consequences of relationship partners having congruent promotion and prevention foci. Integrating regulatory fit theory with theories of relational leadership, we predicted that regulatory fit would enhance relationship quality and commitment within leader–follower dyads. These predictions were examined across three samples, using data collected from multiple sources and at multiple times. Our results indicated that promotion fit, prevention fit and the interaction between them predicted relationship quality and commitment to the leader, which in turn predicted leader-targeted citizenship behaviour and withdrawal cognition. These relationships remained after controlling for demographic fit and followers' and leader's individual regulatory foci.

This work examines the consequences of regulatory focus in the context of the Michelangelo phenomenon, a process whereby interaction partners shape one another’s goal pursuits. We advanced predictions regarding the intrapersonal and interpersonal consequences of target and partner promotion orientation using the concepts of target-goal congruence, partner-goal congruence, and interpersonal match. We used data from four complementary measurement methods – self-report questionnaires, daily diary records, partners’ ratings of ideal-relevant interaction behaviors, and coders’ ratings of interaction behaviors – and using both target- and partner-reports of model criteria. Consistent with predictions, (a) target promotion orientation is associated with the elicitation of partner affirmation, (b) partner promotion orientation is associated with the display of partner affirmation, and (c) partner affirmation partially mediates the associations of target and partner promotion orientation with target movement toward the ideal self. We also examine the motivational, cognitive, and behavioral mechanisms that account for these associations.

Aims and Background: For consumers to make healthy informed decisions (e.g. choose a low nutritional risk food product), they need to receive and exchange information with experts, health authorities, health and risk communicators and other interest groups. However, communicators often face the challenge that consumers avoid such information and have a low engagement with health and risk communication activities. This often results from a lack of consideration of consumers' characteristics and communications customization to them. Methods: A potential approach to increase engagement with communications is providing information that fits consumers' need and goals, particularly their regulatory orientation. We propose that such customization can be applied within a Mental Models' Approach operationalized through a recently patented Mental Modeling Technology Platform TM (US9262725B2). Results: Drawing results from psychological science and particularly Regulatory Focus Theory, communications can be customized to two global individual's goal orientation: 1) Promotion focus; 2) Prevention Focus. Communications customized into a promotion orientation (vs. prevention orientation) should make salient gains/positive consequences (vs. losses/negative consequences). Regulatory orientation should be measured in Mental Models Approach step two and message cus-tomization in step three (communication design). Conclusion: The role of individual psychological factors which influence food perception and choice should be considered in future studies/interventions to promote healthier decisions. Those responsible for designing mass dissemination messages and/or public health interventions, may benefit from using regulatory fit to facilitate behavior change, particularly when cost-effective per-sonalized bidirectional communications are not possible.

Regulatory fit theory predicts that when individuals adopt strategies that sustain their motivational orientations, they feel right about what is happening. Our aim was to test these predictions at the person-organization level. Across three studies, we expected and found that a feeling right experience that results from a match between an employee and an organizational climate produces perceptions that the company's prevailing procedures are fair. In Study 1 (N = 300), a survey among employees of distinct companies, we observed that the more organizational characteristics matched individual promotion and prevention focus of the employees, the more the employees perceived their workplace as just. Study 2 (N = 139), a randomized-control experiment, replicated this pattern by demonstrating that individuals with a predominant promotion focus assigned fairness to the organizational conduct most strongly when they recalled events characterizing a promotion-oriented environment; on the contrary, individuals with a predominant prevention focus deemed their workplace most fair when they were asked to recall prevention-related conduct of their company. In Study 3 (N = 376), a cross-sectional field study, we found that regulatory non-fit was associated with lower procedural justice perceptions and this, in turn, related to higher burnout. Theoretical and practical implications of applying regulatory fit theory to person-organization relationships are discussed.

The present work examines whether individual goal pursuit is influenced by advice and suggestions from interaction partners whose regulatory orientation is perceived to fit (vs. not to fit) the individual’s orientation. We sought to investigate whether such interpersonal regulatory fit yields motivational consequences for goal pursuit that parallel those of intrapersonal regulatory fit. Furthermore, we investigated whether these effects occur in a symmetrical fashion for promotion and prevention-oriented individuals. The results of six experiments revealed that promotion-oriented individuals profit from interpersonal regulatory fit, experiencing motivational benefits when receiving goal-relevant advice from promotion-oriented interaction partners; however, prevention-oriented individuals do not profit from prevention-oriented interaction partners. These findings support the proposal that regulatory fit can fruitfully be examined as an interpersonal phenomenon, highlighting the role that interaction partners may play in the pursuit of personal goals.

Two types of motivations exist in terms of regulatory focus: a promotion orientation concerned with advancement and achievement and a prevention orientation concerned with safety and security. The central premise of this research is that promotion-focused and prevention-focused players differ in their sensitivity to message frames and therefore respond with different levels of self-control. This study adopted a 2 (message

This research examines the implications of locomotion regulatory mode (orientation toward making progress on goals) and assessment regulatory mode (orientation toward critically evaluating alternatives) for employees' performance. Regulatory mode theory suggests that, although these are both integral to self-regulation, they may also function independently of one another and affect distinct, but equally important, performance aspects. We propose and find that performance of locomotion-oriented employees is complemented by their leader's expert power (ability to provide superior knowledge and information), whereas performance of assessment-oriented employees is complemented by their leader's coercive power (ability to administer negative consequences). These findings support the regulatory mode interpersonal complementarity hypothesis and show that complementarity plays a role in self-regulation of objective performance.

Abstract 1. People experience regulatory fit when they pursue a goal in a manner that sustains their regulatory orientation (ET Higgins, 2000). Five studies tested whether the value experienced from regulatory fit can transfer to a subsequent evaluation of an object. In Studies 1 and 2, participants gave the same coffee mug a higher price if they had chosen it with a strategy that fit their orientation (eager strategy/promotion; vigilant strategy/prevention) than a strategy that did not fit.

This article examines how the subjective experiences of "feeling right" from regulatory fit and of "feeling wrong" from regulatory non-fit influence the way people process persuasive messages. Across three studies, incidental experiences of regulatory fit increased reliance on source expertise and decreased resistance to counterpersuasion, whereas incidental experiences of regulatory non-fit increased reliance on argument strength and increased resistance to counterpersuasion. These results suggest that incidental fit and non-fit experiences can produce, respectively, more superficial or more thorough processing of persuasive messages. The mechanisms underlying these effects, and the conditions under which they should and should not be expected, are discussed.