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

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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Cited by (18)

1. Bringing the Frame Into Focus: The Influence of Regulatory Fit on Processing Fluency and Persuasion.
   Lee, Angela Y., Aaker, Jennifer L. · 2004 · Journal of Personality and Social Psychology
2. Regulatory Fit and Persuasion: Transfer From "Feeling Right."
   Cesario, Joseph, Grant, Heidi, Higgins, E. Tory · 2004 · Journal of Personality and Social Psychology
3. Value from hedonic experience and engagement
   Higgins, E. Tory · 2006 · Psychological Review
4. Regulatory focus as a mediator of the influence of initiating structure and servant leadership on employee behavior.
   Neubert, Mitchell J., Kacmar, K. Michele, Carlson, Dawn S., Chonko, Lawrence B., Roberts, James A. · 2008 · Journal of Applied Psychology
5. Value From Regulatory Fit
   Higgins, E. Tory · 2005 · Current Directions in Psychological Science

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