Regulatory Focus Questionnaire

What it measures

Measures chronic regulatory focus — the stable tendency to approach goals through either a promotion focus (pursuing aspirations, gains, and ideals) or a prevention focus (avoiding losses, fulfilling obligations, and meeting duties). Regulatory focus theory is one of the most influential frameworks in consumer psychology, predicting responses to message framing, advertising appeals, product preferences, and decision strategies.

Representative items

• How often have you accomplished things that got you 'psyched' to work even harder? (Promotion)
• Did you get on well with the people that your parents wanted you to be friends with? (Prevention)
• How often did you obey rules and regulations that were established by your parents? (Prevention)
• Growing up, would you ever 'cross the line' by doing things your parents would not allow? (R, Prevention)
• How often have you worked on projects that excited you a great deal? (Promotion)

Citation

Higgins, E.T., Friedman, R.S., Harlow, R.E., Idson, L.C., Ayduk, O.N., & Taylor, A. (2001). Achievement orientations from subjective histories of success: Promotion pride versus prevention pride. European Journal of Social Psychology, 31(1), 3–23.