실험을 통해서 사회적 거리에 따른 심리거리와 목표상태의 부합이 개인의 자기조절 행동 개시 및완료에 미치는 영향을 연구하였다. 총 79명의 남녀 대학생들에게 친구(가까운 심리거리) 또는 타인(먼 심리거리)이 조절목표를 추구하는 과정에서 실행한 구체적 행위(가까운 심리거리) 또는 목표에 도달하여 발생한 결과(먼 심리거리)를 묘사한 시나리오를 통해 사회적 거리와 목표상태를점화하고, 이 두 가지 차원에 각각 연합된 심리거리의 부합이 목표 과제의 개시와 완료에 미치는영향을 비교하였다. 실험 결과, 과제 개시 시간의 경우 사회적 거리가 가까운 친구가 자기조절 목표를 추구하는 과정에서 발생한 구체적 행위들이 점화되었을 때, 사회적 거리가 먼 타인의 목표완료에 따른 결과가 점화되었을 때보다, 과제 개시 시간이 빨랐다. 과제 정답률로 측정한 과제 완성도에서는 자기조절 목표를 완료한 타인이 점화되었을 때, 목표를 추구하고 있는 친구가 점화되었을 때보다, 정답률이 높았다. 자기조절에서 사회거리에 따른 해석수준과 목표상태에 연합된 해석수준 간의 부합효과와 관련하여 본 연구의 시사점 및 장래 연구 방향을 논의하였다.
The present study investigated how the fit between psychological distance associated with social distance and with goal state affects individuals' self-regulation. A total of 79 Korean undergraduates were randomly assigned to experimental conditions in a 2 (social distance: Friend vs. Stranger) X 2 (goal state: goal pursuit vs. goal completion) between-group design. Psychological distance was manipulated by priming either a friend (close) or a stranger (distant) who was either in the process of goal pursuit (close) or in the state of goal completion (distant). It was hypothesized that the fit in the direction of low-level construal (i.e., friend/pursuit) would have a facilitatory effect on the initiation of self-regulation, whereas the fit in the direction of high-level construal (i.e., stranger/completion) would facilitate the completion of the regulatory task. Results showed that, as expected, participants in the 'friend/pursuit' condition initiated the task more quickly than did those in the 'stranger/completion' condition. In contrast, participants in the 'stranger/completion' condition showed higher levels of task accuracy than did those in the 'friend/pursuit' condition. These results suggest that both low-level and high-level construal promote self-regulation but the effects are contingent upon the specific aspects of self-regulation. Implications of the findings and directions for future studies are discussed.
The present study investigated how the fit between psychological distance associated with social distance and with goal state affects individuals' self-regulation. A total of 79 Korean undergraduates were randomly assigned to experimental conditions in a 2 (social distance: Friend vs. Stranger) X 2 (goal state: goal pursuit vs. goal completion) between-group design. Psychological distance was manipulated by priming either a friend (close) or a stranger (distant) who was either in the process of goal pursuit (close) or in the state of goal completion (distant). It was hypothesized that the fit in the direction of low-level construal (i.e., friend/pursuit) would have a facilitatory effect on the initiation of self-regulation, whereas the fit in the direction of high-level construal (i.e., stranger/completion) would facilitate the completion of the regulatory task. Results showed that, as expected, participants in the 'friend/pursuit' condition initiated the task more quickly than did those in the 'stranger/completion' condition. In contrast, participants in the 'stranger/completion' condition showed higher levels of task accuracy than did those in the 'friend/pursuit' condition. These results suggest that both low-level and high-level construal promote self-regulation but the effects are contingent upon the specific aspects of self-regulation. Implications of the findings and directions for future studies are discussed.
