Modus operandi and affect in Sweden: the Swedish version of the Regulatory Mode Questionnaire

Abstract

BackgroundThe Regulatory Mode Questionnaire (RMQ) is the most used and internationally well-known instrument for the measurement of individual differences in the two self-regulatory modes: locomotion (i.e., the aspect of self-regulation that is concerned with movement from state to state) and assessment (i.e., the comparative aspect of self-regulation). The aim of the present study was to verify the independence of the two regulatory modes, as postulated by the Regulatory Mode Theory (Kruglanski et al., 2000), and the psychometric properties of the RMQ in the Swedish context. Furthermore, we investigated the relationship between regulatory modes (locomotion and assessment) and affective well-being (i.e., positive affect and negative affect).MethodA total of 655 university and high school students in the West of Sweden (males = 408 females = 242, and five participants who didn’t report their gender; agemean = 21.93 ± 6.51) responded to the RMQ and the Positive Affect Negative Affect Schedule. We conducted two confirmatory factor analyses using structural equation modeling (SEM). A third SEM was conducted to test the relationship between locomotion and assessment to positive affect and negative affect.ResultsThe first analyses confirmed the unidimensional factor structure of locomotion and assessment and both scales showed good reliability. The assessment scale, however, was modified by dropping item 10 (“I don’t spend much time thinking about ways others could improve themselves”.) because it showed low loading (.07, p = .115). Furthermore, the effect of locomotion on positive affect was stronger than the effect of assessment on positive affect (Z = −15.16, p < .001), while the effect of assessment on negative affect was stronger than the effect of locomotion on negative affect (Z = 10.73, p < .001).ConclusionThe factor structure of the Swedish version of the RMQ is, as Regulatory Mode Theory suggests, unidimensional and it showed good reliability. The scales discriminated between the two affective well-being dimensions. We suggest that the Swedish version of the RMQ, with only minor modifications, is a useful instrument to tap individual differences in locomotion and assessment. Hence, the present study contributes to the validation of the RMQ in the Swedish culture and adds support to the theoretical framework of self-regulatory mode.

The Promotion of a Bright Future and the Prevention of a Dark Future: Time Anchored Incitements in News Articles and Facebook’s Status Updates

“… Higgins, 1997 ). Thus, promotion and prevention focus are important motivators of behavior and even mental health 2 ( Higgins, 1997 ; Amato et al, 2017 ; Garcia et al, 2017 ; Amato and Garcia, 2018 ; see also Walker et al, 2003 ; D’Argembeau and Van der Linden, 2004 ). From this perspective, speeches or narratives that envision the promotion of a brighter future or preventing a dark future; both communicate a pleasant or desired state because the individual either envisions a happy and pleasant future or the pleasant relief by avoiding dark or bad outcomes (cf.…”