Regulatory focus and temporal distance

Ginger L. Pennington; Neal J. Roese

doi:10.1016/S0022-1031(03)00058-1

Regulatory focus and temporal distance

Ginger L. Pennington^*, Neal J. Roese

^*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

280 Scopus citations

Abstract

Four studies identify and examine a temporal component to regulatory focus. Results support the assertion that promotion focus tends to predominate for temporally distant goals, whereas proximal goals are characterized by more balanced consideration of both promotion- and prevention-focused concerns. In Study 1, students rated the importance of promotion and prevention goals at two points in time: 2 weeks before and a few minutes before an examination. Promotion goal importance increased with temporal distance, whereas prevention goal importance remained constant over time. Study 2 replicated this pattern holding the actual time-span constant (3.5 weeks) and varying only the psychological sense of proximity/distance. In Study 3, subjects rated the regulatory focus of goals at varying points in time, both future and past. The temporal effect was replicated for both time periods. Study 4 provided evidence for the reverse effect, that of regulatory focus on the perceived temporal distance of future goals. Taken together, these findings suggest an integration across research domains that links regulatory focus to temporal perspective for both prospective and retrospective judgments.

Original language	English (US)
Pages (from-to)	563-576
Number of pages	14
Journal	Journal of Experimental Social Psychology
Volume	39
Issue number	6
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/S0022-1031(03)00058-1
State	Published - Nov 2003

Funding

Preparation of this paper was supported by National Institute of Mental Health Grant MH55578 and by the Canada Research Chair program, both awarded to the second author. Study 1 was a component of the first author’s MA thesis and was completed under the direction of the second author. We thank Galen Bodenhausen, Tory Higgins, and several anonymous reviewers for comments on earlier drafts; Mike Bailey and Lorne Campbell for their statistical suggestions; and Kerry Coupland, Colin Defreitas, Vivian Hsing, Mischa Lumiere, and Colleen Saffrey for their assistance in data collection.

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Social Psychology
Sociology and Political Science

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10.1016/S0022-1031(03)00058-1

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title = "Regulatory focus and temporal distance",

abstract = "Four studies identify and examine a temporal component to regulatory focus. Results support the assertion that promotion focus tends to predominate for temporally distant goals, whereas proximal goals are characterized by more balanced consideration of both promotion- and prevention-focused concerns. In Study 1, students rated the importance of promotion and prevention goals at two points in time: 2 weeks before and a few minutes before an examination. Promotion goal importance increased with temporal distance, whereas prevention goal importance remained constant over time. Study 2 replicated this pattern holding the actual time-span constant (3.5 weeks) and varying only the psychological sense of proximity/distance. In Study 3, subjects rated the regulatory focus of goals at varying points in time, both future and past. The temporal effect was replicated for both time periods. Study 4 provided evidence for the reverse effect, that of regulatory focus on the perceived temporal distance of future goals. Taken together, these findings suggest an integration across research domains that links regulatory focus to temporal perspective for both prospective and retrospective judgments.",

author = "Pennington, {Ginger L.} and Roese, {Neal J.}",

note = "Funding Information: Preparation of this paper was supported by National Institute of Mental Health Grant MH55578 and by the Canada Research Chair program, both awarded to the second author. Study 1 was a component of the first author{\textquoteright}s MA thesis and was completed under the direction of the second author. We thank Galen Bodenhausen, Tory Higgins, and several anonymous reviewers for comments on earlier drafts; Mike Bailey and Lorne Campbell for their statistical suggestions; and Kerry Coupland, Colin Defreitas, Vivian Hsing, Mischa Lumiere, and Colleen Saffrey for their assistance in data collection. ",

year = "2003",

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doi = "10.1016/S0022-1031(03)00058-1",

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N2 - Four studies identify and examine a temporal component to regulatory focus. Results support the assertion that promotion focus tends to predominate for temporally distant goals, whereas proximal goals are characterized by more balanced consideration of both promotion- and prevention-focused concerns. In Study 1, students rated the importance of promotion and prevention goals at two points in time: 2 weeks before and a few minutes before an examination. Promotion goal importance increased with temporal distance, whereas prevention goal importance remained constant over time. Study 2 replicated this pattern holding the actual time-span constant (3.5 weeks) and varying only the psychological sense of proximity/distance. In Study 3, subjects rated the regulatory focus of goals at varying points in time, both future and past. The temporal effect was replicated for both time periods. Study 4 provided evidence for the reverse effect, that of regulatory focus on the perceived temporal distance of future goals. Taken together, these findings suggest an integration across research domains that links regulatory focus to temporal perspective for both prospective and retrospective judgments.

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Regulatory focus and temporal distance

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