When tough gets you going: Action orientation unfolds with difficult intentions and can be fostered by mental contrasting. (15th July 2020)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Friederichs, Katja M.; Kees, Marie-Christine; Baumann, Nicola
• Is Part Of: Personality and individual differences. Volume 161(2020)
• Publication Date: 2020-07-15
• Subjects: Action-state orientation -- Intention enactment -- Affective change -- Stroop interference -- Self-regulation; Personality -- Periodicals; Individuality -- Periodicals; Individuality -- Periodicals; Personality Development -- Periodicals; Personnalité -- Périodiques; Individualité -- Périodiques; 155.205
• DOI: 10.1016/j.paid.2020.109970
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0191-8869

Abstract

Abstract: Action orientation is a volitional mode that supports successful intention enactment under demands. We expected that priming difficulties evokes action-oriented individuals to self-regulate positive affect for effective intention enactment and causes state-oriented individuals to struggle. However, we predicted that mental contrasting increases intention enactment among state-oriented individuals. In two studies ( N 1 = 132, 46.21% male, M age = 16.53; N 2 = 128, 61.72% male, M age = 11.53), intention enactment was assessed non-reactively by Stroop interference. As a crucial test for self-regulatory ability, we used intention-forming primes ("setting high goals") which call for self-generating positive affect and presumably facilitate intention enactment only among action-oriented individuals. In Study 2, we aimed to improve state-oriented participants' intention enactment through mental contrasting. Consistent with expectations, action-oriented individuals showed a complete removal of Stroop interference after intention-forming primes (Studies 1 and 2). Furthermore, a short mental contrasting intervention promoted intention enactment among state-oriented participants (Study 2). Findings support the understanding that action-oriented individuals excel under demanding conditions whereas state-oriented individuals have to practice self-regulating positive affect to successfully enact under demands. Highlights: Novel and crucial non-reactive self-regulation test reveal individual differences. Action orientation: Volitional facilitation is evoked by difficulty. State orientation: Mental Contrasting supports intention enactment under demands. Affective change is a decisive mechanism for successful intention enactment. Outcomes help derive target-oriented interventions for improving self-regulation.