Regulatory focus and human values

Abstract

The present article connects two approaches to the study of human motivation and behavior: The Schwartz model of human values and Higgins' regulatory focus theory. Considering a prominent model of human motivation - the Rubicon Model of Action Phases - reveals that although both approaches refer to goals and standards as crucial constructs, human values are specifically relevant concerning the so-called deliberation and evaluation phases whereas self-regulatory orientations are specifically relevant concerning the volitional phases (i.e., planning and action). It may be due to the selective focus on specific aspects of human motivation that up to date hardly any (empirical) work has tried to connect human values and self-regulatory orientations. The reported studies assessed the relation between the endorsement of values proposed in the Schwartz model of human values and individual differences in the two self-regulatory orientations (promotion and prevention) proposed in regulatory focus theory. Findings reveal that prevention-focused self-regulation is positively related to conservation values (security, conformity) and negatively related to values reflecting openness to change (stimulation, self-direction). Moreover, promotion-focused self-regulation was positively related to self-enhancement values (power, achievement) and negatively related to values reflecting self-transcendence (universalism, benevolence). In addition, the observed relations were found using different instruments to measure human values and self-regulatory orientations. In combination, the observed findings support the proposed two-dimensional structure of the value system as well as fundamental assumptions of regulatory focus theory.