Regulatory Fit and Classification Learning 1 A Test of the Regulatory Fit Hypothesis in Perceptual Classification Learning

This paper builds a bridge between research on regulatory focus in motivation and classification learning. It tests the hypothesis that a fit between the situational regulatory focus and the reward structure of the task leads to greater cognitive flexibility than a mismatch between situational focus and the reward structure and that the fit between the regulatory focusinduced processing characteristics and the nature of the environment influence performance. Experiment 1 used a classification task for which cognitive flexibility should be advantageous and examined both gains (Experiment 1a) and losses (Experiment 1b) reward structures. Experiments 2 and 3 used a classification task for which cognitive flexibility should be disadvantageous. Experiment 2 used a gains reward structure and Experiment 3 used a losses reward structure. As predicted, when cognitive flexibility was advantageous, participants in a regulatory fit showed faster learning and more quickly shifted toward the optimal response strategy. Also as predicted, when cognitive flexibility was disadvantageous, participants in a regulatory mismatch showed faster learning and more quickly shifted toward the optimal response strategy. Implications for current theories of motivation and classification learning are discussed.