Summary lectures – SIPA
Lecture 1: Regulatory focus & Resistance
What is social influence?
Focus of this course: shaping and presen3ng products, ideas, or movements in a way that
mo3vates people to engage and say ‘yes’.
- Can be profit, non-profit and poli3cal goals
Regulatory focus:
Difference between Donald Trump and Kamala Harris:
- Donald Trump: preven3on focused à focus on problems, threats and risks
- Kamala Harris: focused on posi3ve things that we could gain
Different ways to view the course:
- How can I get the most out of this course?
- How can I avoid failing the course? à Preven3on focus
Scholer et al. 2019:
• Differences arise from chronic or temporal orienta3on
• Chronic orienta3ons are orthogonal (independent of each other)
- Individuals can simultaneously have strong preven3on and promo3on systems
• Temporal orienta3ons are dependent
- At any given 3me, one orienta3on is going to dominate
• Measured with ques3onnaire, e.g.:
- “I oPen think about the person I would ideally like to be in the future”
- “I frequently think about how I can prevent failures in my life”
,• Demandingness: is about rules, to what extent were there strict rules in the way you
were raised
• Responsiveness: is about open communica3on with the people who raised you
- In the case of authorita3ve paren3ng, you are likely to have developed a more
promo3on-oriented style
- In the case of authoritarian paren3ng, you are likely to have developed a more
preven3on focused style
, - Brain areas that are ac3vated when people are asked for their ideals (what you
desire) or ought’s (du3es)
- Ideals relate to promo3on focus (inner structure of brain is ac3vated, which is
associated with intui3on and reward sensi3vity)
- Ought’s relate to preven3on focus (outer structure of brain is ac3vated, which is
associated with self-awareness and social adapta3on)
MoHvaHonal orientaHon differs systemaHcally with…
- Age (younger promo3on focused, older preven3on focused)
- Gender (in general women tend to be a bit more preven3on focused)
- Culture (collec3vis3c cultures are more preven3on focused)
- Upbringing
- Type of decision (context where you’re in, are you deciding about a holiday
des3na3on, or a security system à this will determine what system is ac3vated)
à But: avoid generaliza3ons, people orienta3ons vary widely from situa3on to situa3on
People in a promoHon focus…:
• Have different preferences:
- Interested in promo3on-oriented products
- AXend to promo3on-oriented aXributes (e.g., luxury)
• Are mo3vated by different factors:
- Inspired by posi3ve role models
- Mo3vated by praise for excellent work
• Process informa3on in an eager way:
- Priori3ze speedy decisions
- Focus on the big picture instead of the details
, - Focus on obtaining the best op3on
- Are more crea3ve
• Have different self-views:
- More poli3cal liberal
- Independent
- Higher self-esteem
People in a prevenHon focus…:
• Have different preferences:
- Interested in preven3on-oriented products
- AXend to preven3on-focused aXributes (e.g., reliability, safety)
• Are mo3vated by different factors:
- Inspired by posi3ve and nega3ve role models
- Mo3vated by cri3cism about their work
• Process informa3on in a vigilant way:
- Priori3ze accuracy to speed
- Focus on the details
- Focus on elimina3ng the worst op3on
- Favor repe33on, are less crea3ve
• Have different self-views:
- More conserva3ve
- Interdependent
- Have lower self-esteem
Regulatory fit:
- A person’s mo3va3onal orienta3on leads them to prefer products and messages that
help them sustain her orienta3on (both preven3on, or both promo3on)
- It makes them ‘feel right’ during message recep3on
- It increases their strength of engagement with the message
There need to be a fit between:
- Product/solu3on/idea
- Message
- Framing
- The behavior of the influencer
- The individuals being influenced…
Lecture 1: Regulatory focus & Resistance
What is social influence?
Focus of this course: shaping and presen3ng products, ideas, or movements in a way that
mo3vates people to engage and say ‘yes’.
- Can be profit, non-profit and poli3cal goals
Regulatory focus:
Difference between Donald Trump and Kamala Harris:
- Donald Trump: preven3on focused à focus on problems, threats and risks
- Kamala Harris: focused on posi3ve things that we could gain
Different ways to view the course:
- How can I get the most out of this course?
- How can I avoid failing the course? à Preven3on focus
Scholer et al. 2019:
• Differences arise from chronic or temporal orienta3on
• Chronic orienta3ons are orthogonal (independent of each other)
- Individuals can simultaneously have strong preven3on and promo3on systems
• Temporal orienta3ons are dependent
- At any given 3me, one orienta3on is going to dominate
• Measured with ques3onnaire, e.g.:
- “I oPen think about the person I would ideally like to be in the future”
- “I frequently think about how I can prevent failures in my life”
,• Demandingness: is about rules, to what extent were there strict rules in the way you
were raised
• Responsiveness: is about open communica3on with the people who raised you
- In the case of authorita3ve paren3ng, you are likely to have developed a more
promo3on-oriented style
- In the case of authoritarian paren3ng, you are likely to have developed a more
preven3on focused style
, - Brain areas that are ac3vated when people are asked for their ideals (what you
desire) or ought’s (du3es)
- Ideals relate to promo3on focus (inner structure of brain is ac3vated, which is
associated with intui3on and reward sensi3vity)
- Ought’s relate to preven3on focus (outer structure of brain is ac3vated, which is
associated with self-awareness and social adapta3on)
MoHvaHonal orientaHon differs systemaHcally with…
- Age (younger promo3on focused, older preven3on focused)
- Gender (in general women tend to be a bit more preven3on focused)
- Culture (collec3vis3c cultures are more preven3on focused)
- Upbringing
- Type of decision (context where you’re in, are you deciding about a holiday
des3na3on, or a security system à this will determine what system is ac3vated)
à But: avoid generaliza3ons, people orienta3ons vary widely from situa3on to situa3on
People in a promoHon focus…:
• Have different preferences:
- Interested in promo3on-oriented products
- AXend to promo3on-oriented aXributes (e.g., luxury)
• Are mo3vated by different factors:
- Inspired by posi3ve role models
- Mo3vated by praise for excellent work
• Process informa3on in an eager way:
- Priori3ze speedy decisions
- Focus on the big picture instead of the details
, - Focus on obtaining the best op3on
- Are more crea3ve
• Have different self-views:
- More poli3cal liberal
- Independent
- Higher self-esteem
People in a prevenHon focus…:
• Have different preferences:
- Interested in preven3on-oriented products
- AXend to preven3on-focused aXributes (e.g., reliability, safety)
• Are mo3vated by different factors:
- Inspired by posi3ve and nega3ve role models
- Mo3vated by cri3cism about their work
• Process informa3on in a vigilant way:
- Priori3ze accuracy to speed
- Focus on the details
- Focus on elimina3ng the worst op3on
- Favor repe33on, are less crea3ve
• Have different self-views:
- More conserva3ve
- Interdependent
- Have lower self-esteem
Regulatory fit:
- A person’s mo3va3onal orienta3on leads them to prefer products and messages that
help them sustain her orienta3on (both preven3on, or both promo3on)
- It makes them ‘feel right’ during message recep3on
- It increases their strength of engagement with the message
There need to be a fit between:
- Product/solu3on/idea
- Message
- Framing
- The behavior of the influencer
- The individuals being influenced…
