Regulatory focus and fit effects on task engagement

An experimental study

Dados Bibliográficos

ID22871990
AutoresMostafa Papi (0000-0003-4309-0483, Florida State University), Yiran Zhang (0000-0002-7052-0357, Hangzhou Normal University), Yang Zhou (0000-0002-4537-9857, Guizhou Normal University), Claudia J Kim (0000-0003-1006-4617, Florida State University), Mahshid Mahbodi (0000-0003-1675-3990, Florida State University), Mijin Eom (Chuncheon National University of Education), Chen Jiang (0000-0001-5223-2725, Foreign Languages College, Shanghai Normal University , Shanghai)
Ano2025
Data de publicação2025-06-30
Peer ReviewedSim
Open AccessSim
TipoARTICLE
PeriódicoApplied Linguistics (JOURNAL)
Identificadores do periódicoISSN: 0142-6001 • E-ISSN: 1477-450X
EditoraOxford University Press (OUP) (PUBLISHER)
DOI10.1093/applin/amaf035
OpenAlexW4411786255
IdiomaEN
Citações recebidas4
Referências citadas74

This study examined the effects of learners’ regulatory focus, task type, and the match/mismatch between the two on task engagement. Eighty-five learners of English as a second language at a US-American university completed a regulatory focus questionnaire, an English proficiency self-assessment, one task with a promotion focus (requiring creativity and imagination), one task with a prevention focus (requiring attention to detail and accuracy), and finally a post-task engagement questionnaire. Results showed that (1) the promotion task resulted in significantly higher levels of task enjoyment, whereas the prevention task led to higher cognitive engagement; (2) learners’ prevention focus positively predicted task anxiety in both tasks and negatively predicted task enjoyment in the promotion task, whereas the promotion focus positively predicted task enjoyment in the promotion task; and finally, (3) prevention-focused learners experienced greater enjoyment in the prevention task (matching) than in the promotion (mismatching) task, whereas promotion-focused learners experienced more enjoyment in the promotion (matching) task than in the prevention task (mismatching) supporting regulatory fit predictions. The results highlight the importance of regulatory focus and fit in task engagement.

Cognitive psychology · Economics · Focus (optics) · Management · Regulatory focus theory · Task (project management) · Behavioral Health and Interventions · Motivation and Self-Concept in Sports · Psychological and Temporal Perspectives Research · Psychology · Social Psychology