Et. Higgins et al., IDEAL VERSUS OUGHT PREDILECTIONS FOR APPROACH AND AVOIDANCE - DISTINCT SELF-REGULATORY SYSTEMS, Journal of personality and social psychology, 66(2), 1994, pp. 276-286
Two studies using different paradigms activated either ideal self-guid
es (a person's hopes or wishes) or ought self-guides (a person's sense
of duty and responsibility) and measured Ss' concern with different f
orms of self-regulation: approaching matches to desired end states or
mismatches to undesired end states and avoiding mismatches to desired
end states or matches to undesired end states. A 3rd study asked ideal
versus ought discrepant Ss to select among alternative strategies for
friendship. The results suggest that a concern with approach is great
er for ideal than ought self-regulation, whereas a concern with avoida
nce is greater for ought than ideal self-regulation.