IDEAL VERSUS OUGHT PREDILECTIONS FOR APPROACH AND AVOIDANCE - DISTINCT SELF-REGULATORY SYSTEMS

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.