Moral value transfer from regulatory fit: what feels right is right and what feels wrong is wrong.

Full Abstract

People experience regulatory fit (E. T. Higgins, 2000) when the strategic manner of their goal pursuit suits their regulatory orientation, and this regulatory fit feels right. Fit violation feels wrong. Four studies tested the proposal that experiences of fit can transfer to moral evaluations. The authors examined transfer of feeling wrong from fit violation by having participants in a promotion or prevention focus recall transgressions of commission or omission (Studies 1 and 2). Both studies found that when the type of transgression was a fit violation, participants expressed more guilt. Studies 3 and 4 examined transfer of feeling right from regulatory fit. Participants evaluated conflict resolutions (Study 3) and public policies (Study 4) as more right when the means pursued had fit.

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Author information

Author/s: Camacho, Christopher J (CJ); Higgins, E Tory (ET); Luger, Lindsay (L);

Affiliation: Department of Psychology, Columbia University, New York, New York 10027, USA. camacho(-atsign-)psych.columbia.edu

Grants: 39429 (Agency:United States PHS)

Journal and publication information

Publication Type: Journal Article; Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.; Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.

Journal: Journal of personality and social psychology (J Pers Soc Psychol), published in United States. (Language: eng)

Reference: 2003-Mar; vol 84 (issue 3) : pp 498-510

Dates: Created 2003/03/14; Completed 2003/07/08; Revised 2007/11/14;

PMID: 12635912, status: MEDLINE (last retrieval date: 11/6/2008)

Sourced from the National Library of Medicine. Abstract text and other information may be subject to copyright.

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