Approach and avoidance strength during goal attainment: Regulatory focus and the "goal looms larger" effect

Three studies tested the hypothesis that regulatory focus, both as a chroni c person variable and as a manipulated situational variable, differentially affects the strength of participants' approach and avoidance strategic mot ivations as they get closer to the goal. In 2 studies', flexion and extensi on arm pressure were used as on-line measures of approach and avoidance int ensity, respectively. As predicted, the approach gradient was steeper for p articipants with a promotion focus on aspirations and gains than for partic ipants with a prevention focus on responsibilities and nonlosses, whereas t he reverse was true for the avoidance gradient. In a third study, the same pattern of results was found on a persistence measure of motivational stren gth. Participants with a promotion focus worked longer on anagrams closer t o the goal when they were approach means for goal attainment than when they were avoidance means, whereas the reverse was true for participants with a prevention focus.