Abigail A Scholer
Biographic Data
| ID | 4230621 |
|---|---|
| NAME | Abigail A Scholer |
| GIVEN NAMES | Abigail A |
| FAMILY NAME | Scholer |
| SIGNATURE | SCHOLER A A |
| AFFILIATIONS | University of Waterloo |
| ORCID | 0000-0001-8531-4436 |
| VERIFIED | Yes |
| TOTAL WORKS | 29 |
| TOTAL CITATIONS | 91 |
| WORKS AS AUTHOR | 29 |
| WORKS AS EDITOR | 0 |
| FIRST PUBLICATION YEAR | 2006 |
| LATEST PUBLICATION YEAR | 2026 |
| H-INDEX | 4 |
Choosing Our Reality
Our perceptions of reality are partly a byproduct of our goals. Past research has found that people are motivated to selectively share reality—shared inner states about the world—with those who help them achieve their goals (i.e., instrumental others). We argue that this desire to share reality with instrumental others depends on relational mobility: how free others are to leave relationships. Across 39 countries ( N ≈ 17,000), relational mobilit…
Beliefs About Using Construal Level to Modulate Regulatory Scope
Goals require considering the immediate present as well as distant times, places, people, and possibilities. Although proximal goals require sensitivity to local opportunities, distal goals require action plans robust to variability. Construal level theory proposes that people contract versus expand regulatory scope (i.e., the range of possibilities one accounts for) to address these challenges. A primary tool they use to do so is construal level…
Metamotivational knowledge of construal level predicts academic performance
Metamotivational Beliefs in Middle Childhood
Self‐regulation—the monitoring and control of thoughts, feelings, and behavior—plays a central role in guiding healthy social development. While the bulk of the literature examining children's self‐regulation has focused on how much or how well children can regulate specific cognitive functions or behaviors (e.g., emotion control, delay of gratification), recent adult research demonstrates the role of metamotivation —the monitoring and control of…
Guided by God
The role of conflict representation in abstinence versus moderation in self-control
Self-control-the prioritization of valued global goals over immediate local rewards-is typically conceptualized and studied as isolated decisions. Goal pursuit, however, generally requires people to make repeated self-control decisions across contexts. We adopt a higher order, strategic level of analysis of self-control and explore, for the first time, people's preferences for abstinence (a pattern of choices in which one never indulges) versus m…
Metamotivational beliefs about intrinsic and extrinsic motivation
3,544), participants provided beliefs about the utility of different types of motivation-regulation strategies: strategies that enhance one's interest and enjoyment in a task versus strategies that focus on the value associated with task outcomes (self-relevance strategies and reward strategies). Across all studies, participants recognized that the adaptiveness of these strategies depends on the nature of the task being completed. Consistent with…
Examining Beliefs About the Benefits of Self-Affirmation for Mitigating Self-Threat
Self-affirmation—reflecting on a source of global self-integrity outside of the threatened domain—can mitigate self-threat in education, health, relationships, and more. Whether people recognize these benefits is unknown. Inspired by the metamotivational approach, we examined people’s beliefs about the benefits of self-affirmation and whether individual differences in these beliefs predict how people cope with self-threat. The current research re…
Determined Yet Dehumanized
Desire is part of human nature, and being vulnerable to desire is part of what differentiates humans from machines. However, individuals with high self-control—who demonstrate impressive resistance to their desires—may appear to lack such human vulnerability. We propose that people perceived as high in self-control tend to be dehumanized as more robotic, relating to potentially negative social consequences. Across six studies ( N = 2,007), people…
Predicting Academic Performance with an Assessment of Students’ Knowledge of the Benefits of High-Level and Low-Level Construal
Metamotivation research suggests that people understand the benefits of engaging in high-level versus low-level construal (i.e., orienting toward the abstract, essential versus concrete, idiosyncratic features of events) in goal-directed behavior. The current research examines the psychometric properties of one assessment of this knowledge and tests whether it predicts consequential outcomes (academic performance). Exploratory and confirmatory fa…
In it together
1,326) explored (a) whether people experience shared reality-the perception of shared attitudes and judgments about the world-with IOs and (b) whether those who do so achieve greater goal success. Participants perceiving their romantic partner as instrumental for their goals experienced more shared reality with them (Study 1); participants also reported greater shared reality with IOs relative to noninstrumental others (NIO; Study 2). Higher shar…
A Cross-Cultural Investigation of Metamotivational Beliefs About Regulatory Focus Task-Motivation Fit
Recent metamotivation research revealed that Westerners recognize that promotion versus prevention motivations benefit performance on eager versus vigilant tasks, respectively; that is, they know how to create task-motivation fit with respect to regulatory focus. Westerners also believe that, across tasks, promotion is more beneficial than prevention (i.e., a promotion bias). Adopting a cross-cultural approach, we examined whether beliefs about t…
Under pressure
The COVID-19 pandemic poses unique opportunities to explore how fundamental self-regulatory variables affect responses to the pandemic. We examine how two critical self-regulatory orientations, locomotion and assessment, relate to psychological distress and obeying public health guidelines using secondary data analysis. In the initial pandemic stages (April and May, 2020), North American participants (N = 924) completed measures of chronic locomo…
Rich environments, dull experiences
We examined the hypothesis that boredom is likely to occur when opportunity costs are high; that is, when there is a high potential value of engaging in activities other than the researcher-assigned activity. To this end, participants were either placed in a room with many possible affordances (e.g. a laptop, puzzle, etc.; affordances condition; n = 121), or they were ushered into an empty room (control condition; n = 107). In both conditions par…
Our adventures make me feel secure
Regulatory Focus Theory and Research
This chapter explores the motivational dynamics of the promotion and prevention systems outlined in regulatory focus theory (Higgins, 1997). It includes a review of the core tenets of the theory—identifying and responding to important and frequently asked questions—in discussing significant research of the past two decades since the theory made its debut. In particular, the chapter includes a discussion of what defines each system, how regulatory…
Metamotivational knowledge of the role of high-level and low-level construal in goal-relevant task performance
Metamotivation research suggests that people may be able to modulate their motivational states strategically to secure desired outcomes (Scholer & Miele, 2016). To regulate one's motivational states effectively, one must at minimum understand (a) which states are more or less beneficial for a given task and (b) how to instantiate these states. In the current article, we examine to what extent people understand the self-regulatory benefits of high…
Effortful experiences of self-control foster lay theories that self-control is limited
When threat matters
Self-regulating the effortful “social dos
In the current research, we explored differences in the self-regulation of the personal dos (i.e., engaging in active and effortful behaviors that benefit the self) and in the self-regulation of the social dos (engaging in those same effortful behaviors to benefit someone else). In 6 studies, we examined whether the same trait self-control abilities that predict task persistence on personal dos would also predict task persistence on social dos. T…
In pursuit of progress
This article examines the role of promotion motivation in decision making in the domain of gains. Using a stock investment paradigm in which individuals believed that they were making decisions that were real and consequential, we found that promotion motivation, and not prevention motivation, predicted the likelihood of switching between risky and conservative choices in the domain of gains. Promotion-focused participants chose a relatively risk…
Inflating and deflating the self
The Cognitive‐Affective Processing System
Mischel and Shoda's Cognitive Affective Personality System (CAPS) theory revolutionized thinking about personality. We review the functional utility of the CAPS perspective in light of the purposes for which people typically use and seek personality information—prediction, explanation, and influence. We suggest that the critical if...then... situation-behavior profiles that characterize personality within CAPS theory may be further advanced by in…
Value from adversity
When risk seeking becomes a motivational necessity
Four studies demonstrate the importance of self-regulatory mechanisms for understanding risk-seeking behavior under loss. Findings suggest that risk seeking becomes a motivational necessity under 3 conditions: (a) when an individual is in a state of loss; (b) when the individual is in a prevention-focused regulatory state (E. T. Higgins, 1997); and (c) when the risky option alone offers the possibility of eliminating loss. In situations involving…
When risk seeking becomes a motivational necessity
Four studies demonstrate the importance of self-regulatory mechanisms for understanding risk-seeking behavior under loss. Findings suggest that risk seeking becomes a motivational necessity under 3 conditions: (a) when an individual is in a state of loss; (b) when the individual is in a prevention-focused regulatory state (E. T. Higgins, 1997); and (c) when the risky option alone offers the possibility of eliminating loss. In situations involving…
Responding to negativity
In pursuit of progress
This article examines the role of promotion motivation in decision making in the domain of gains. Using a stock investment paradigm in which individuals believed that they were making decisions that were real and consequential, we found that promotion motivation, and not prevention motivation, predicted the likelihood of switching between risky and conservative choices in the domain of gains. Promotion-focused participants chose a relatively risk…
Inflating and deflating the self
Metamotivational knowledge of the role of high-level and low-level construal in goal-relevant task performance
Metamotivation research suggests that people may be able to modulate their motivational states strategically to secure desired outcomes (Scholer & Miele, 2016). To regulate one's motivational states effectively, one must at minimum understand (a) which states are more or less beneficial for a given task and (b) how to instantiate these states. In the current article, we examine to what extent people understand the self-regulatory benefits of high…
Self-regulating the effortful “social dos
In the current research, we explored differences in the self-regulation of the personal dos (i.e., engaging in active and effortful behaviors that benefit the self) and in the self-regulation of the social dos (engaging in those same effortful behaviors to benefit someone else). In 6 studies, we examined whether the same trait self-control abilities that predict task persistence on personal dos would also predict task persistence on social dos. T…
In it together
1,326) explored (a) whether people experience shared reality-the perception of shared attitudes and judgments about the world-with IOs and (b) whether those who do so achieve greater goal success. Participants perceiving their romantic partner as instrumental for their goals experienced more shared reality with them (Study 1); participants also reported greater shared reality with IOs relative to noninstrumental others (NIO; Study 2). Higher shar…
When threat matters
Keeping up impressions
Effortful experiences of self-control foster lay theories that self-control is limited
People as resources
We propose a motivational model of impression formation— people as resources —as a way to understand what information perceivers seek in their interpersonal world. Prior work has established that the warm –c old dimension is fundamental to impression formation. Building on other functional approaches, we suggest that the attributes warm and cold are important because they predict the direction of target resource use in interpersonal relationships…
Metamotivational beliefs about intrinsic and extrinsic motivation
3,544), participants provided beliefs about the utility of different types of motivation-regulation strategies: strategies that enhance one's interest and enjoyment in a task versus strategies that focus on the value associated with task outcomes (self-relevance strategies and reward strategies). Across all studies, participants recognized that the adaptiveness of these strategies depends on the nature of the task being completed. Consistent with…
Our adventures make me feel secure
Keeping up impressions
Responding to negativity
Regulatory Fit and Persuasion
How can researchers and practitioners use regulatory fit theory to increase the effectiveness of their attempts to change attitudes and behavior? In this article, we extract from the literature a set of basic processes by which fit can influence persuasion and describe different methods for inducing fit. Regulatory fit can influence persuasion by: (i) making message recipients feel right during message reception; (ii) increasing recipients’ stren…
People as resources
We propose a motivational model of impression formation— people as resources —as a way to understand what information perceivers seek in their interpersonal world. Prior work has established that the warm –c old dimension is fundamental to impression formation. Building on other functional approaches, we suggest that the attributes warm and cold are important because they predict the direction of target resource use in interpersonal relationships…
When risk seeking becomes a motivational necessity
Four studies demonstrate the importance of self-regulatory mechanisms for understanding risk-seeking behavior under loss. Findings suggest that risk seeking becomes a motivational necessity under 3 conditions: (a) when an individual is in a state of loss; (b) when the individual is in a prevention-focused regulatory state (E. T. Higgins, 1997); and (c) when the risky option alone offers the possibility of eliminating loss. In situations involving…
The Cognitive‐Affective Processing System
Mischel and Shoda's Cognitive Affective Personality System (CAPS) theory revolutionized thinking about personality. We review the functional utility of the CAPS perspective in light of the purposes for which people typically use and seek personality information—prediction, explanation, and influence. We suggest that the critical if...then... situation-behavior profiles that characterize personality within CAPS theory may be further advanced by in…
Value from adversity
Inflating and deflating the self
Self-regulating the effortful “social dos
In the current research, we explored differences in the self-regulation of the personal dos (i.e., engaging in active and effortful behaviors that benefit the self) and in the self-regulation of the social dos (engaging in those same effortful behaviors to benefit someone else). In 6 studies, we examined whether the same trait self-control abilities that predict task persistence on personal dos would also predict task persistence on social dos. T…
In pursuit of progress
This article examines the role of promotion motivation in decision making in the domain of gains. Using a stock investment paradigm in which individuals believed that they were making decisions that were real and consequential, we found that promotion motivation, and not prevention motivation, predicted the likelihood of switching between risky and conservative choices in the domain of gains. Promotion-focused participants chose a relatively risk…
When threat matters
Effortful experiences of self-control foster lay theories that self-control is limited
Regulatory Focus Theory and Research
This chapter explores the motivational dynamics of the promotion and prevention systems outlined in regulatory focus theory (Higgins, 1997). It includes a review of the core tenets of the theory—identifying and responding to important and frequently asked questions—in discussing significant research of the past two decades since the theory made its debut. In particular, the chapter includes a discussion of what defines each system, how regulatory…
Metamotivational knowledge of the role of high-level and low-level construal in goal-relevant task performance
Metamotivation research suggests that people may be able to modulate their motivational states strategically to secure desired outcomes (Scholer & Miele, 2016). To regulate one's motivational states effectively, one must at minimum understand (a) which states are more or less beneficial for a given task and (b) how to instantiate these states. In the current article, we examine to what extent people understand the self-regulatory benefits of high…
Rich environments, dull experiences
We examined the hypothesis that boredom is likely to occur when opportunity costs are high; that is, when there is a high potential value of engaging in activities other than the researcher-assigned activity. To this end, participants were either placed in a room with many possible affordances (e.g. a laptop, puzzle, etc.; affordances condition; n = 121), or they were ushered into an empty room (control condition; n = 107). In both conditions par…
Our adventures make me feel secure
A Cross-Cultural Investigation of Metamotivational Beliefs About Regulatory Focus Task-Motivation Fit
Recent metamotivation research revealed that Westerners recognize that promotion versus prevention motivations benefit performance on eager versus vigilant tasks, respectively; that is, they know how to create task-motivation fit with respect to regulatory focus. Westerners also believe that, across tasks, promotion is more beneficial than prevention (i.e., a promotion bias). Adopting a cross-cultural approach, we examined whether beliefs about t…
Under pressure
The COVID-19 pandemic poses unique opportunities to explore how fundamental self-regulatory variables affect responses to the pandemic. We examine how two critical self-regulatory orientations, locomotion and assessment, relate to psychological distress and obeying public health guidelines using secondary data analysis. In the initial pandemic stages (April and May, 2020), North American participants (N = 924) completed measures of chronic locomo…
Examining Beliefs About the Benefits of Self-Affirmation for Mitigating Self-Threat
Self-affirmation—reflecting on a source of global self-integrity outside of the threatened domain—can mitigate self-threat in education, health, relationships, and more. Whether people recognize these benefits is unknown. Inspired by the metamotivational approach, we examined people’s beliefs about the benefits of self-affirmation and whether individual differences in these beliefs predict how people cope with self-threat. The current research re…
Determined Yet Dehumanized
Desire is part of human nature, and being vulnerable to desire is part of what differentiates humans from machines. However, individuals with high self-control—who demonstrate impressive resistance to their desires—may appear to lack such human vulnerability. We propose that people perceived as high in self-control tend to be dehumanized as more robotic, relating to potentially negative social consequences. Across six studies ( N = 2,007), people…
Predicting Academic Performance with an Assessment of Students’ Knowledge of the Benefits of High-Level and Low-Level Construal
Metamotivation research suggests that people understand the benefits of engaging in high-level versus low-level construal (i.e., orienting toward the abstract, essential versus concrete, idiosyncratic features of events) in goal-directed behavior. The current research examines the psychometric properties of one assessment of this knowledge and tests whether it predicts consequential outcomes (academic performance). Exploratory and confirmatory fa…
In it together
1,326) explored (a) whether people experience shared reality-the perception of shared attitudes and judgments about the world-with IOs and (b) whether those who do so achieve greater goal success. Participants perceiving their romantic partner as instrumental for their goals experienced more shared reality with them (Study 1); participants also reported greater shared reality with IOs relative to noninstrumental others (NIO; Study 2). Higher shar…
Guided by God
The role of conflict representation in abstinence versus moderation in self-control
Self-control-the prioritization of valued global goals over immediate local rewards-is typically conceptualized and studied as isolated decisions. Goal pursuit, however, generally requires people to make repeated self-control decisions across contexts. We adopt a higher order, strategic level of analysis of self-control and explore, for the first time, people's preferences for abstinence (a pattern of choices in which one never indulges) versus m…
Metamotivational beliefs about intrinsic and extrinsic motivation
3,544), participants provided beliefs about the utility of different types of motivation-regulation strategies: strategies that enhance one's interest and enjoyment in a task versus strategies that focus on the value associated with task outcomes (self-relevance strategies and reward strategies). Across all studies, participants recognized that the adaptiveness of these strategies depends on the nature of the task being completed. Consistent with…
Psychology (25 works) · Social Psychology (23 works) · Behavioral Health and Interventions (20 works) · Cognitive psychology (13 works) · Social and Intergroup Psychology (12 works) · Social Psychology (11 works) · Cultural Differences and Values (9 works) · Computer Science (8 works) · Regulatory focus theory (8 works) · Death Anxiety and Social Exclusion (6 works)