Checking Heterogeneity and its Relationships with Action Identification Level

Abstract

Consistent with the action identification theory proposal that some people identify their actions at a low-level (action processing regarding motor parameters) while others generally identify actions at a high-level (regarding goal features), and that a low-level of action identification leads to behavioral dysregulation (repetition, doubts about completion), checking proneness was found to be related to low-level action identification. Nevertheless, checking can be motivated by several factors (dysfunctional beliefs, incompleteness feelings). In the present research, we reexamine the level at which actions are identified by distinct subtypes of checking-prone participants. In Study 1, cluster analysis leads to the identification of four checking subtypes based on two dysfunctional beliefs domains (responsibility and perfectionism); our main results suggest that a low-level of action identification may characterize a checking subtype that is not motivated by responsibility related dysfunctional beliefs. Study 2 further reveals that anxiety features may characterize the checking subtype related to a low-level action identification.