The Effect of Regulatory Focus on Conformity Behavior

Cheng, Y. H., Kao, T. D., Chuang, S. C., and Chen, S. H. 2013. The Effect of Regulatory Focus on Conformity Behavior. NTU Management Review, 24 (1): 207-232. https://doi.org/10.6226/NTURM2013.JUL.C18

Yin-Hui Cheng, Associate Professor, Department of International Business, National Taichung University of Education
Danny T. Kao, Professor, Department of Educational Psychology and Counseling, National Hsinchu University of Education
Shih-Chieh Chuang, Professor, Department of Business Administration, National Chung Cheng University
Shu-Hui Chen, Marcom Specialist, Audrey Taiwan

Abstract

This article examines the influence of regulatory focus on conformity. Three experimental situations are developed to examine the effect. Experiment 1 reveals that regulatory focus influences conformity, with the effect being more obvious under a prevention-focused condition, in which people conform more strongly with others, than under a promotion-focused condition. In Experiment 2, the effect of regulatory focus on conformity is mediated by informational influences and normative influences. The results of Experiment 3 show that under a high cognitive load, the effect of regulatory focus on conformity disappears.  


Keywords

conformityregulatory focuscognitive load


NTU Management Review No. 1, Sec. 4, Roosevelt Road, Taipei, 106319 Taiwan
3F, Bldg. 1, College of Management, National Taiwan University

TEL: +886-2-33661026  +886-2-33665404  

E-mail: ntupmcenter@ntu.edu.tw

Subsidized by Research Institute for the Humanities and Social Science, National Science and Technology Council, Executive Yuan.

Subscription