Running head: SES AND REGULATORY FOCUS On the origins of chronic regulatory focus: The role of socioeconomic status

Higgins’ Regulatory Focus Theory hypothesizes that chronic regulatory focus develops from caretaker-child interactions. Consistent with this theory, previous studies have found that parenting style during childhood predicts whether one later develops promotion focus (eager strategies to achieve success) or prevention focus (vigilant strategies to avoid failure). The present study revises this hypothesis to assess the impact of broader environmental factors by examining the influence of childhood socioeconomic status (SES) on the development of chronic regulatory focus. In a correlational study, low SES was associated with authoritarian (punitive) parenting style, which was in turn correlated with prevention focus. High SES during childhood was associated with authoritative (nurturing) parenting style, which was correlated with promotion focus. Although the study failed to find a direct effect of SES on regulatory focus in our mediation model, we suggest that the present study is limited by its design. The question of whether environmental factors beyond parenting are significant predictors of regulatory focus merits further research.