Success/failure feedback, expectancies, and approach/avoidance motivation:How regulatory focus moderates classic relations

Applying regulatory focus theory (Higgins, 1997), we hypothesized that succ ess-related approach motivation and increased expectancies are more likely to occur when performers are in a promotion than a prevention focus and tha t failure-related avoidance motivation and decreased expectancies are more likely to occur when performers are in a prevention than a promotion focus. Study 1 used arm flexion pressure as an on-line measure of approach streng th and arm extension pressure as an on-line measure of avoidance strength. Study 2 used a persistence measure of motivational strength. The "goal loom s larger" effect of increased motivational strength as one moves closer to a goal was greatest for approach when there was success feedback and promot ion focus framing and was greatest for avoidance when there was failure fee dback and prevention focus framing. Performance expectancies were increased more by promotion than prevention success and were decreased more by preve ntion than promotion failure. These effects support the hypotheses and were independent of one another. (C) 2001 Academic Press.