WHEN IT FEELS RIGHT: INVESTIGATING REGULATORY FIT WITHIN A MODIFIED FLANKER PARADIGM

Abstract

The current study utilises a modified flanker paradigm to explore the effects of interpersonal regulatory fit. It is posited that regulatory fit congruence allows both promotion-focused and prevention-focused participants to follow their partners’ strategy. Conversely, regulatory fit incongruence leads promotion-focused participants to follow their partner’s strategy while prevention-focused participants would continue employing their own strategy. It was also hypothesised that regulatory fit congruence would produce greater social liking than regulatory fit incongruence. 160 participants completed a flanker task while receiving feedback from their partners. Four conditions were established based on a 2 (Partner’s Regulatory Focus (RF): ‘Promotion’ and ‘Prevention’) x 2 (Participant’s RF: ‘Promotion’ and ‘Prevention’) factorial design. For response interference scores, a three-way interaction for Time x Participant RF x Partner RF and a two-way interaction for the ‘Participant: Promotion’ level were significant, in which only ‘Partner: Promotion’ condition reflected a significant decrease. The two-way interaction effect of accuracy for Partner RF x Time also proved significance for both Partner RF conditions, with accuracy scores of the ‘Partner: Prevention’ condition decreasing more rapidly than that of the ‘Partner: Promotion’ condition. The main effects of social liking for Participant RF and Partner RF were also significant.