Unfair treatment and self-regulatory focus

Ample correlational evidence exists that perceived unfair treatment is negatively related to well-being, health, and goal striving but the underlying process is unclear. We hypothesized that eVects are due in part to contextual priming of prevention focus and the negative consequences of chronic prevention-focused vigilance. Indeed, reasonable responses to unfair treatment—to avoid situations in which it occurs or if this is not possible, confront it head on—Wt prevention self-regulatory focus response patterns. Results from three experiments support this notion. Priming stigmatized social category membership heightened students’ prevention (not promotion) focus (nD 117). Priming non-stigmatized social category membership (i.e., white) did not change prevention focus (nD 46). Priming prevention (not promotion) increased perceptions of unfair treatment (and aroused prevention-relevant Wght or Xight responses) in response to a negative ambiguous job situation among low and moderate income adults (nD 112). © 2006 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.