Self-regulatory focus: The eagerness to respond in extremes

Elke Cabooter, Bert Weijters and Luk Warlop
Additional contact information
Elke Cabooter: LEM - Lille économie management - UMR 9221 - UA - Université d'Artois - UCL - Université catholique de Lille - ULCO - Université du Littoral Côte d'Opale - Université de Lille - CNRS - Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique
Bert Weijters: UGENT - Universiteit Gent = Ghent University = Université de Gand
Luk Warlop: BI Norwegian Business School [Oslo]

Post-Print from HAL

Abstract: This article provides initial evidence of a relationship between self-regulatory focus (SRF) and extreme response style (ERS), showing that promotion-focused individuals are more inclined to select extreme responses on rating scales than are prevention-focused individuals. This tendency stems from greater decisiveness among promotion-focused respondents, which can lead them to exaggerate survey ratings. The findings have important implications for the reliability of SRF measurements, particularly in self-report measures, by showing that ERS can introduce significant bias. Because promotion-focused respondents tend to report exaggerated scores on outcome variables, their responses can distort interpretations of attitudes, satisfaction, or behaviors. By highlighting the link between SRF and ERS, the study underscores the need for organizations and researchers to account for extreme response style when designing surveys and analysing self-reported data. Recognizing these patterns ensures more accurate measurement of consumer preferences, employee sentiment, and other key outcomes, improving both strategic decision-making and research reliability.

Date: 2025-11
References: Add references at CitEc
Citations:

Published in Journal of Business Research, 2025, 200 (C), pp.115678. ⟨10.1016/j.jbusres.2025.115678⟩

There are no downloads for this item, see the EconPapers FAQ for hints about obtaining it.

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:hal:journl:hal-05357765

DOI: 10.1016/j.jbusres.2025.115678

Access Statistics for this paper

More papers in Post-Print from HAL
Bibliographic data for series maintained by CCSD ().