Abstract

The purpose of this study was to investigate how the interaction between the regulatory focus (improvement focus vs. prevention focus) and the information presentation method (alternative-based method vs. attribute-based method) affects the quality of the final choice and the satisfaction with selection when selecting multiple alternative items with many attributes to consider. In order to evaluate the participants' chronic regulatory focus, both the Regulatory Focus Questionnaire and the General Regulatory Focus Measure were used. The regulatory-fit effect was improved by priming the situational regulatory focus in the same direction as the participants' chronic regulatory focus. Participants viewed multiple attribute or multiple alternative objects presented in an alternative-based or attribute-based manner, respectively. As a result, people made better choices for multiple alternative objects when the information presentation method matched their regulatory focus. In addition, people made better choices for multiple attribute objects when information was presented in an attribute-based manner. These results suggest that in low-involvement selection situations (multi-alternative object selection), the conformity of individual variables (the regulatory focus) and situation variables (the information presentation method) influences the choice. In high involvement choice situation (choosing a multi-attribute item), situational variable (the information presentation method) mainly affect choice because of reducing cognitive load.