Promoting or preventing thanks: Regulatory focus and its effect on gratitude and indebtedness

Regulatory focus – prevention-focus or promotion-focus – plays a key role in how beneficiaries respond to benefits and benefactors. Two studies illustrated the link between promotion-focus and gratitude, as well as prevention-focus and indebtedness. In Study 1, promotion-focus measures positively correlated with gratitude, and prevention-focus measures correlated with indebtedness. In Study 2, regulatory focus was primed prior to an actual social exchange. Participants completed either promotion- or prevention-focus puzzles, and were then given free raffle tickets. The promotion-focus prime led to increased gratitude toward the benefactor. These findings suggest the important role of the beneficiary’s motivation in social exchange, particularly for increasing sense of thankfulness.

► Promotion-approach motivation is related to gratitude.
► Prevention-avoidance motivation is related to indebtedness.
► Implicit priming of approach motivation leads to gratitude after an exchange.