Effective strategy types depending on regulatory focus in academic settings

Abstract

Regulatory focus theory proposes that there are two types of self-regulatory styles: promotion focus and prevention focus. People who primarily utilize promotion focus pursue hope and aspiration. Alternatively, people with prevention focus pursue safety and responsibilities. In the current study, it was hypothesized that depending on different regulatory foci, functional strategies' perceptions might differ. Specifically, it was hypothesized that promotion focus leads to the perceived importance of approach strategy, while prevention focus leads to the perceived importance of avoidance strategy. In turn, the perceived importance of each strategy would increase the possibility of achieving their strategies. Then, the achievement of each strategy would result in higher subjective learning acquisition. One hundred seventy-three undergraduate university students participated in this online study. They answered a questionnaire including items of regulatory focus, importance and achievement of approach and avoidance strategies, and subjective learning acquisition. Overall, the hypotheses were supported, and implications are discussed.