Prevention-focused self-regulation and aggressiveness

Abstract

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Regulatory focus in economic contexts

“…Also, prevention focus is associated with special concern with interdependence and social connectedness (Aaker & Lee, 2001;Lee, Aaker, & Gardner, 2000), reflecting a tendency to act in accordance with the expectations of significant others (representing social norms) rather than in accordance with personal ideals (Markus & Kitayama, 1991). In line with this notion, Keller, Hurst, and Uskul (2008) documented that individuals hold a stronger negative reciprocity norm the more they are prevention-focused. Given that uncooperative behavior in a public goods situation can be conceptualized as a fairness norm violation and a disrespect for interpersonal connectedness (Fehr & Fischbacher, 2004;Knoch, Gianotti, Baumgartner, & Fehr, 2010), individuals with a special concern with normative standards, that is, prevention-focused individuals, should be most likely to reciprocate and punish those who violate relevant normative standards.…”

The benefits of interpersonal regulatory fit for individual goal pursuit.

“…Alternatively, prevention-oriented individuals may inhibit the tendency to seek interpersonal support because they fear rejection by others. In line with this hypothesis is the finding that preventionoriented individuals tend to be particularly sensitive to cues that signal social threat (Keller, Hurst, & Uskul, 2008;Oyserman et al, 2007), such that they frequently withdraw from others, inhibiting their social behaviors (Ayduk, May, Downey, & Higgins, 2003;Brebels & De Cremer, 2008;Murray et al, 2008;Oyserman et al, 2007). It is assumed that such behavior serves to diminish threats to social connections and to prevent social exclusion.…”

When threat matters: Self-regulation, threat salience, and stereotyping

“…However, much of the work in this tradition has focused on how specific motives to enhance or protect the self (Collange et al, 2009;Fein & Spencer, 1997;Govorun et al, 2006;Spencer et al, 1998) or one's groups (e.g., Keller, Hurst, & Uskul, 2008;Saqib & Chan, 2010) can produce stereotype use and derogation of outgroups. For example, Terror Management Theory (TMT; Greenberg, Landau, Kosloff, & Solomon, 2009) views stereotyping as a defense mechanism that people employ when they are concerned about their own mortality and inevitable demise (e.g., Greenberg, Simon, Pyszczynski, Solomon, & Chatel, 1992).…”