How Regulatory Focus Impacts the Process-by-Outcome Interaction for Perceived Fairness and Emotions

Publication Type

Journal Article

Publication Date

2008

Abstract

Judgments of fairness take into account at least two pieces of information--the outcome received and the process by which the outcome was assigned. Generally speaking, low levels of fairness are apt to be reported when the outcome is unfavorable and the allocation process is deemed inappropriate. In this study, we investigate how regulatory focus theory can further our understanding of the process by outcome interaction. Specifically, when individuals are working to add to their earnings (a promotion focus) the typical effect is observed. However, when individuals are focused on maintaining something that is their own (a prevention focus) the most negative emotion occurs when individuals are allocated an unfavorable outcome through a process that contains procedural safeguards.

Discipline

Business

Research Areas

Organisational Behaviour and Human Resources

Publication

Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes

Volume

1

Issue

1

First Page

36

Last Page

51

ISSN

0749-5978

Identifier

10.1016/j.obhdp.2006.06.003

Publisher

Elsevier

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