Situational and Trait Interactions Among Goal Orientations

25 Pages Posted: 12 Jan 2011 Last revised: 14 May 2012

See all articles by Kelly Haws

Kelly Haws

Vanderbilt University - Marketing

William O. Bearden

affiliation not provided to SSRN

Utpal M. Dholakia

Rice University - Jesse H. Jones Graduate School of Business

Date Written: January 11, 2011

Abstract

Regulatory focus theory has been used to describe and explain a wide range of consumer responses. This goal orientation has been examined both as a chronic difference and a situational variable. Yet, it is unclear how a situational manipulation interacts with the individual’s chronic goal orientation. The present research investigates the potential for interactions and suggests that typical outcomes of regulatory focus are likely to emerge more clearly under circumstances in which promotion focus is manipulated. The studies demonstrate asymmetric effects in the interactions of chronic and situational manipulations of regulatory focus using different manipulations and outcome variables. The implications of these findings are significant for any research involving the manipulation of variables that can also be considered as chronic tendencies.

Keywords: Regulatory Focus, Goal Orientations, Trait-State Interactions, Goal Approach

Suggested Citation

Haws, Kelly and Bearden, William O. and Dholakia, Utpal M., Situational and Trait Interactions Among Goal Orientations (January 11, 2011). Mays Business School Research Paper No. 2012-49, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=1738424 or http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.1738424

Kelly Haws

Vanderbilt University - Marketing ( email )

Nashville, TN 37203
United States

William O. Bearden

affiliation not provided to SSRN ( email )

Utpal M. Dholakia (Contact Author)

Rice University - Jesse H. Jones Graduate School of Business ( email )

6100 South Main Street
P.O. Box 1892
Houston, TX 77005-1892
United States

Do you have negative results from your research you’d like to share?

Paper statistics

Downloads
102
Abstract Views
1,092
Rank
472,796
PlumX Metrics