Motivation by positive or negative role models: regulatory focus determines who will best inspire us.

Full Abstract

In 3 studies, the authors demonstrated that individuals are motivated by role models who encourage strategies that fit their regulatory concerns:
Promotion-focused individuals, who favor a strategy of pursuing desirable outcomes, are most inspired by positive role models, who highlight strategies for achieving success; prevention-focused individuals, who favor a strategy of avoiding undesirable outcomes, are most motivated by negative role models, who highlight strategies for avoiding failure. In Studies 1 and 2, the authors primed promotion and prevention goals and then examined the impact of role models on motivation. Participants' academic motivation was increased by goal-congruent role models but decreased by goal-incongruent role models. In Study 3, participants were more likely to generate real-life role models that matched their chronic goals.

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Author information

Author/s: Lockwood, Penelope (P); Jordan, Christian H (CH); Kunda, Ziva (Z);

Affiliation: Department of Psychology, University of Toronto, Ontario, Canada. lockwood(-atsign-)psych.utoronto.ca

Journal and publication information

Publication Type: Clinical Trial; Controlled Clinical Trial; Journal Article; Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

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

Reference: 2002-Oct; vol 83 (issue 4) : pp 854-64

Dates: Created 2002/10/10; Completed 2003/03/14; Revised 2006/11/15;

PMID: 12374440, 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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