The impact of regulatory fit on postdecision evaluation

We investigated the effect of regulatory fit between regulatory focus and decision mode on postdecision evaluation, and the mechanism underlying this effect, in a 2 (regulatory focus: promotion vs. prevention) × 2 (decision mode: intuitive vs. deliberative) between-subjects factorial-design experiment. Participants were 92 undergraduate students who underwent regulatory focus priming before performing a multiattribute decision-making task, and then completed measures concerning postdecision evaluation and feeling right. Results showed that promotion-focused participants in intuitive mode made a more favorable postdecision evaluation than did those in deliberative mode, whereas prevention-focused participants in deliberative mode made a more favorable postdecision evaluation than did those in intuitive mode. The mechanism underlying this impact was the experience of feeling right. Implications for future research are discussed.