Ricerc@Sapienza

Regulatory mode theory (Kru glanski et al., 2000) assumes the existence of two regulatory modes orientation: (1) assessment reflecting the propensity to evaluate goals and means and to find the best option; (2) locomotion concerning the tendency to move from a state to another. A relevant number of studies has examined the relationship between regulatory mode and organizational well-being. However, none of them allows any certain causal direction inference.

Past research has shown that hopelessness drastically reduces the quality of life. It follows that it could be particularly useful to improve our knowledge of the potential correlates of feelings of hopelessness. We propose a negative association between locomotion mode, or the self-regulation dimension concerned with movement from current state to future states, and hopelessness. We suggest, in two studies that higher locomotion is related to less hopelessness and results in higher levels of psychological well-being.

Individuals who have a strong locomotion orientation tend to be future-oriented and motivated to move from the present state toward a future state, making swift and steady progress toward their goals. The current study has assessed the conceptual possibility that such motivation leads locomotors to experience greater hopeful thinking, an active cognitive process that consists in planning the future and implementing these plans. The results of Study 1 lend preliminary support to this possibility.

Locomotion mode is the aspect of self-regulation that is concerned with initiating goal-related movement and maintaining it without interruption in order to effect change, whereas assessment mode is the aspect of self-regulation that is concerned with critical evaluation of alternative goals and means in order to make the right choices.

A field study conducted with professional athletes (N=420¸ 72.2% men, Mage= 25.14) examined the antecedents of stress linked to career termination. We hypothesized that stress linked to career termination may be affected by the type of passion (harmonious and obsessive) athletes develop for their sport activity, and that this passion may be affected by regulatory mode orientations (locomotion and assessment) and need for closure (NFC).

The present research addresses the unique role of locomotion and assessment regulatory-mode orientations on self-forgiveness, by controlling for personality traits and by excluding possible effects of variables linked to strategies that underestimate one's culpability.