Regulatory Fit Induction (RFI) Instrument

Author of Tool: 

Higgins, E. T.

Key references: 

Cesario, J., Grant, H., & Higgins, E. T. (2004). Regulatory fit and persuasion: Transfer from “feeling right”. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 86, 388-404.
Cesario, J., Higgins, E. T., & Scholer, A. A. (2007). Regulatory fit and persuasion: Basic principles and remaining questions. Social and Personality Psychology Compass, 2(1), 444-463.
Freitas, A.L., & Higgins, E. T. (2002). Enjoying goal-directed action: The role of regulatory fit. Psychological Science, 13, 1-6.

Primary use / Purpose: 

A measure of regulatory fit theory, which is a goal-pursuit theory that places special emphasis on the relation between the motivational orientation of the actor and the manner in which that actor pursues the goal (e.g., the strategic means used by that actor).

Background: 

The preposition is that the fit between an action's strategic orientation and the actor's regulatory state can influence the amount of enjoyment the action provides. Regulatory fit can be manipulated both incidentally and integrally. Incidental regulatory fit involves activating fit separately from the context of the task of interest. Integral regulatory fit involves activating fit within the context of the task of interest; there are many ways to induce integral fit (see for example Cesario, Higgins, & Scholer, 2007). Regulatory fit, whether manipulated incidentally or integrally, can arise from a match between any goal orientation and its preferred means of goal pursuit. The Regulatory Fit Induction (RFI Instrument) is a measure of this construct.

Psychometrics: 

For psychometrics, see Freitas, A.L., & Higgins, E. T. (2002). Enjoying goal-directed action: The role of regulatory fit. Psychological Science, 13, 1-6.

Keywords: 

Files: 

Digital Object Identifier (DOI): 

http://dx.doi.org/10.13072/midss.680