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From regulation to projection: Reliance on regulatory mode in predictions about others
Author(s) -
Woltin KarlAndrew,
Yzerbyt Vincent Y.
Publication year - 2020
Publication title -
european journal of social psychology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.609
H-Index - 111
eISSN - 1099-0992
pISSN - 0046-2772
DOI - 10.1002/ejsp.2660
Subject(s) - psychology , deliberation , regulatory focus theory , social psychology , ingroups and outgroups , transformational leadership , outgroup , interpersonal communication , mode (computer interface) , transactional leadership , preference , goal pursuit , cognitive psychology , creativity , computer science , operating system , politics , political science , law , economics , microeconomics
Past research showed that people project their goals onto unknown others. The present research investigates whether they also rely on their motivational orientation in terms of regulatory mode (locomotion vs. assessment). In line with work on self‐judgments, a stronger chronic personal focus on locomotion over assessment decreased predictions of others' experiences of nostalgia (Study 1) and increased predictions of others' preference for, motivation by, and evaluation of a transformational over a transactional leader (Study 2). Furthermore, an experimentally induced locomotion mode compared to an assessment mode increased peoples' predictions of others' motivation to reconcile after interpersonal conflict (Study 3). We examined process evidence via the Testing‐Process‐by‐Interaction‐Strategy: As predicted, effects only emerged under time pressure (vs. ample deliberation; Study 2) and for ingroup (vs. outgroup) members (Study 3). These findings suggest that people's regulatory mode is a basis for predicting others' reactions and preferences. We discuss implications and future research directions.