The moderating effect of regulatory focus in the relationship between potential flexibility and practical flexibility

Abstract

Two studies examined the moderating effect of a motivational factor (regulatory focus) on the relation between potential flexibility (knowledge of multiple strategies and strategy efficiency) and practical flexibility (using the most efficient strategy to solve mathematics problems). Regulatory focus was measured as an individual disposition (in Study 1) or induced as a situational state using different descriptions of a math exam (in Study 2). Results provided evidence that both chronic and situational regulatory focus moderated the relationship between potential and practical flexibility, suggesting that whether potential flexibility predicted practical flexibility was related to whether individuals were promotion-focused or prevention-focused. These results contribute to a better understanding of the relationship between potential and practical flexibility and point to the important role of regulatory focus when it comes to flexible mathematics performance.