Regulatory Focus Induction

Technical Manual

Script Author: Katja Borchert, Ph.D. (katjab@millisecond.com), Millisecond

Created: January 14, 2013

Last Modified: January 06, 2023 by K. Borchert (katjab@millisecond.com), Millisecond

Script Copyright © Millisecond Software, LLC

Background

This script implements one regulatory focus induction task using "current ideals and oughts" to induce a Promotion vs. Prevention regulatory state as described by Dr. E. T. Higgins:

Higgins Lab: https://higginsweb.psych.columbia.edu/research/

From the webpage: "Regulatory focus theory posits two separate and independent self-regulatory orientations, both fundamentally related to value motivation (i.e., achieving desired end-states): Prevention [...], Promotion [...].

Regulatory focus is a state that can differ across individuals (chronic regulatory focus) and situations (momentary regulatory focus). The regulatory focus strength measure and regulatory focus questionnaire measure chronic regulatory focus. Momentary regulatory focus can be primed or induced using the regulatory focus induction."

References

Psychological Science, 13, 1-6.

( the remaining ways to induce Regulatory Focus as described by Higgins on his website can be implemented in a similar fashion)

1. Assignment to Promotion Focus/ Prevention Focus done by groupnumber 2. number of goals by default is 3; can be changed under section EDITABLE PARAMETERS

Duration

2 minutes

Description

Participants are asked to enter 3 hopes or three duties for themselves.

Procedure

Taken From the Higgins Lab:
"Current ideals or oughts (Freitas & Higgins, 2002)
Randomly assign half of participants to each condition. Participants should be blind to which condition they are in.
Within each condition, participants can be asked to list 1 goal or 3 goals.

Promotion:
Please think about something you ideally would like to do. In other words, think about a hope or aspiration
that you currently have. Please list the hope or aspiration below.

Prevention:
Please think about something you think you ought to do. In other words, think about a duty or obligation
that you currently have. Please list the duty or obligation below."

Instructions

provided by Millisecond - can be edited under section Editable Instructions

Summary Data

File Name: regulatoryfocusinduction_summary*.iqdat

Data Fields

NameDescription
inquisit.version Inquisit version number
computer.platform Device platform: win | mac |ios | android
startDate Date the session was run
startTime Time the session was run
subjectId Participant ID
groupId Group number
sessionId Session number
elapsedTime Session duration in ms
completed 0 = Test was not completed
1 = Test was completed

Raw Data

File Name: regulatoryfocusinduction_raw*.iqdat

Data Fields

NameDescription
build Inquisit version number
computer.platform Device platform: win | mac |ios | android
date Date the session was run
time Time the session was run
subject Participant ID
group Group number
session Session number
blockCode Name of the current block
blockNum Number of the current block
trialCode Name of the current trial
trialNum Number of the current trial
stimulusItem The presented stimuli in order of trial presentation
response The participant's response (scancode of response buttons)
correct Accuracy of response: 1 = correct response; 0 = otherwise
latency The response latency (in ms); measured from: trial onset

Parameters

The procedure can be adjusted by setting the following parameters.

NameDescriptionDefault
goalNumber Sets how many goals participants are supposed to list