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Situational and trait interactions among goal orientations

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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.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Mays Business School, Texas A&M University, 4112 TAMU, College Station, TX, 77843, USA

    Kelly L. Haws

  2. Moore School of Business, University of South Carolina, 1705 College Street, Columbia, SC, 29208, USA

    William O. Bearden

  3. JGSM, Rice University, 6100 Main Street MS 531, Houston, TX, 77005, USA

    Utpal M. Dholakia

Authors
  1. Kelly L. Haws
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  2. William O. Bearden
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  3. Utpal M. Dholakia
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Kelly L. Haws.

Additional information

The first author would like to thank the Mays Business School at Texas A&M for their financial support.

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Haws, K.L., Bearden, W.O. & Dholakia, U.M. Situational and trait interactions among goal orientations. Mark Lett 23, 47–60 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11002-011-9134-5

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11002-011-9134-5

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