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Exploring the Cognitive Mechanism that Underlies Regulatory Focus Effects

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  • Rui (Juliet) Zhu
  • Joan Meyers-Levy

Abstract

Much research has explained regulatory focus effects via the alternative psychological states (eagerness vs. vigilance) people experience when they adopt different regulatory foci. This article identifies for the first time the cognitive mechanism that underlies regulatory focus effects. We propose that promotion-focus individuals engage in relational elaboration, which entails identifying commonalities or abstract relationships among disparate items. In contrast, prevention-focus individuals engage in item-specific elaboration, which involves focusing on specific attributes of each item independent of others. Results support our theorizing by demonstrating that promotion-focus (prevention-focus) individuals exhibit enhanced performance on tasks that require relational (item-specific) elaboration. (c) 2007 by JOURNAL OF CONSUMER RESEARCH, Inc..

Suggested Citation

  • Rui (Juliet) Zhu & Joan Meyers-Levy, 2007. "Exploring the Cognitive Mechanism that Underlies Regulatory Focus Effects," Journal of Consumer Research, Journal of Consumer Research Inc., vol. 34(1), pages 89-96, April.
    • Handle: RePEc:oup:jconrs:v:34:y:2007:i:1:p:89-96
    DOI: 10.1086/513049
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    Cited by:

    1. Ashraf, Abdul R. & Thongpapanl, Narongsak (Tek), 2015. "Connecting with and Converting Shoppers into Customers: Investigating the Role of Regulatory Fit in the Online Customer's Decision-making Process," Journal of Interactive Marketing, Elsevier, vol. 32(C), pages 13-25.
    2. Heitz-Spahn, Sandrine & Belaud, Lydie & Ferrandi, Jean-Marc, 2024. "A regulatory focus theory approach to understanding cross-channel free-riding behaviour," Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, Elsevier, vol. 78(C).
    3. Suwelack, Thomas & Hogreve, Jens & Hoyer, Wayne D., 2011. "Understanding Money-Back Guarantees: Cognitive, Affective, and Behavioral Outcomes," Journal of Retailing, Elsevier, vol. 87(4), pages 462-478.
    4. Miceli, Gaetano Nino & Pieters, Rik, 2010. "Looking more or less alike: Determinants of perceived visual similarity between copycat and leading brands," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 63(11), pages 1121-1128, November.
    5. Hochstein, Bryan & Bolander, Willy & Christenson, Brett & Pratt, Alexander B. & Reynolds, Kristy, 2021. "An Investigation of Consumer Subjective Knowledge in Frontline Interactions," Journal of Retailing, Elsevier, vol. 97(3), pages 336-346.
    6. Cheng, Yin-Hui & Yen, HsiuJu Rebecca & Chuang, Shih-Chieh & Chang, Chia-Jung, 2013. "Product option framing under the influence of a promotion versus prevention focus," Journal of Economic Psychology, Elsevier, vol. 39(C), pages 402-413.
    7. Kirsten Cowan & Atefeh Yazdanparast, 2021. "Consequences of Moral Transgressions: How Regulatory Focus Orientation Motivates or Hinders Moral Decoupling," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 170(1), pages 115-132, April.
    8. Das, Gopal, 2016. "Influence of salespersons' nonverbal communication cues on consumer shopping behaviour," Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, Elsevier, vol. 31(C), pages 199-206.
    9. Bullard, Olya & Penner, Sara, 2017. "A regulatory-focused perspective on philanthropy: Promotion focus motivates giving to prevention-framed causes," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 79(C), pages 173-180.
    10. Parsad, Chandan & Prashar, Sanjeev & Vijay, T. Sai & Kumar, Mukesh, 2021. "Do promotion and prevention focus influence impulse buying: The role of mood regulation, shopping values, and impulse buying tendency," Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, Elsevier, vol. 61(C).
    11. Sunaga, Tsutomu & Meng, Yan & Zhuang, Xuhong, 2020. "Interactions between instrumental timbre and consumers’ regulatory focus," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 121(C), pages 1-12.
    12. Malmström, Malin & Voitkane, Aija & Johansson, Jeaneth & Wincent, Joakim, 2020. "What do they think and what do they say? Gender bias, entrepreneurial attitude in writing and venture capitalists’ funding decisions," Journal of Business Venturing Insights, Elsevier, vol. 13(C).
    13. Katrin Muehlfeld & Diemo Urbig & Utz Weitzel, 2017. "Entrepreneurs’ Exploratory Perseverance in Learning Settings," Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice, , vol. 41(4), pages 533-565, July.
    14. Jiraporn Napatsorn & Charinsarn Alisara Rungnontarat & Sheridan Michael, 2016. "Sugar in disguise or healthy indulgence: A cross-cultural comparision of the perceptions of dietary vice/virtue bundles," Management & Marketing, Sciendo, vol. 11(2), pages 410-430, July.
    15. Xiaomei Wang & Lin Zhang & Xiaoyu Jiang & Jia Wang, 2021. "Promoting Water Conservation Based on the Matching Effect of Regulatory Focus and Emotion," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(4), pages 1-12, February.
    16. L. Balbo & M.L. Gavard-Perret, 2010. "L'utilisation du cadrage des conséquences au sein des messages de sante publique : bilan et perspectives pour la recherche en marketing," Post-Print halshs-00534782, HAL.
    17. Arnold, Mark J. & Reynolds, Kristy E., 2009. "Affect and Retail Shopping Behavior: Understanding the Role of Mood Regulation and Regulatory Focus," Journal of Retailing, Elsevier, vol. 85(3), pages 308-320.
    18. Liu, Yi & Polman, Evan & Liu, Yongfang & Jiao, Jiangli, 2018. "Choosing for others and its relation to information search," Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes, Elsevier, vol. 147(C), pages 65-75.
    19. Wang, Li & Jin, Manhui & Yang, Zhiyong, 2020. "Regulatory focus and consumption of counterfeit luxury goods: Roles of functional theories of attitudes and perceived similarity," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 107(C), pages 50-61.
    20. Sobh, Rana, 2011. "Approaching what we hope for and avoiding what we fear: A study of women’s concern with visible signs of skin aging," Australasian marketing journal, Elsevier, vol. 19(2), pages 122-130.
    21. Luo, Yong (Eddie) & Wong, Veronica & Chou, Ting-Jui, 2016. "The role of product newness in activating consumer regulatory goals," International Journal of Research in Marketing, Elsevier, vol. 33(3), pages 600-611.

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