Effects of regulatory fit on student engagement

Abstract

Regulatory fit theory (Higgins, 2000, 2008) proposes that people experience regulatory fit when they pursue a goal in a manner that sustains their regulatory orientation. The present study applied the regulatory fit theory and examined the relationship between regulatory focus and student engagement. We hypothesized that a fit between chronic regulatory focus (promotion or prevention focus) and motivational regulatory strategies in difficult learning situations enhances emotional, cognitive, and behavioral engagement. We conducted a survey among Japanese college students (N = 304) to test this hypothesis. The results indicated that increasing the levels of emotional and behavioral engagement were more strongly related to the frequent use of strategies to enhance self-efficacy in promotion-oriented individuals than in prevention-oriented individuals. These results partly supported the regulatory fit hypothesis. We discussed the results of this study in terms of theories of motivation.