I’ve been doing some work in Behavioral Science lately, due to a current client’s request. Deepening my knowledge into this field has been very enjoyable, so I thought I would share a few thoughts about one very important concept in this field: Prevention versus Promotion. This is a very simplistic presentation of a complex concept, but my hope is that it will be very approachable as a result. Mostly, I am refraining from using any jargon here, because I always see it as alienating babble that obscures useful thought.
Prevention versus Promotion.
Do you do things in order to prevent loss and avoid negative consequences? Or in order to maximize gains and opportunities?
In short, two people can have the exact same goal, but they may be pursuing the goal for very different reasons. Consider two journalists. The first journalist sees writing good articles as what she must do so that she does not get laid off from her newspaper. She wants to do good work so that she can avoid the negative consequence of losing her job. She does a good job as a matter of security. The second journalist sees writing good articles as an opportunity in and of itself. In her mind, good articles will be intellectually and personally fulfilling, will get her closer to getting a book deal, will allow her an impressive social media following, or help her win a Pulitzer prize. She does good work because she desires accomplishment.
Are you trying to get to the top, or just trying to not fall off? I took this photo a few weeks ago.
Though people seem to have preferences for promotion or prevention focused goals, the same person may orient themselves to different goals in different ways. For example, a person could seek to avoid losses when managing their financial life, but seek to maximize gains when it comes to their career. You may notice the same thing in yourself. And of course, there are instances where a prevention mindset could be more productive than a promotion mindset. I do think that we need both.
We can intuitively understand how important this difference is. Try this thought experiment. First, imagine a goal that you currently have. First, frame it in terms of security or prevention of loss. Follow that thought for a minute. Notice how you feel. Next, switch the narrative. Frame it in terms of achievement or maximizing potential gains. Follow the thought through. Which mindset feels better to you? Why? Which gives you more feelings of energy and enthusiasm?
Self-Regulation in the Pursuit of Goals: How We Strategically Pursue Goals
In order to achieve our goals, we must regulate our behaviors (ie, do things or avoid doing things). The ways in which we regulate our behaviors will vary based upon whether we are attempting to avoid a negative consequence (prevention) or maximizing a positive outcome (promotion).
Motivation arises from expectations about the outcomes of actions. People take actions to approach pleasure and avoid pain, but the actions that they take will vary depending on whether they are approaching pleasure or avoiding pain. In seeing her work as an opportunity to approach pleasure (the development of a lucrative and meaningful career), the second journalist is more likely to approach her work with far more eagerness than the journalist who sees her work as a potential threat (failure could result in the loss of her livelihood).
Those that are preventing negative consequences believe that they must behave (regulate their behavior) in a way that will protect them from loss. They tend to be constantly scanning for threats. They are very vigilant for anything that could go wrong, or mistake that they could make along the way. The journalist who is trying to avoid losing her job would be focused on the minutia of her work. She will be vigilant to not miss any deadlines, and to not make any errors in her reporting. She may also be vigilant about other journalists that she competes with, or she may be particularly observant of her newspaper’s overall health. She may be looking for a new job sooner, fearing that the decreasing market share of newspapers could have negative impacts on her employment. She is constantly scanning for a threat to her livelihood, and much of her energy will go into this vigilance.
Those that are promoting positive consequences behave in ways that they believe will make them more effective at producing the best possible product. The journalist who sees her work as an opportunity to maximize her reputation, position, or intellectual development will be more concerned with making sure that she pursues successful strategies and that she does not miss out on any good opportunities. She is more likely to spend time generating multiple ideas for stories so that she can be sure that she chooses a great idea that will be a hit. She will look for opportunities to discover fascinating stories, or to apply for special programs, because she does not want to miss a good opportunity. Instead of vigilant, this journalist is eager. She will regulate her behavior in a way that ensures she is taking many positive actions designed to maximize her possibilities for success.
Overwhelming Options versus Empowering Options
A person’s orientation to promotion or prevention also influences how they feel about having choices.
A promotion focused person is excited when they have many options. This sort of person will evaluate the merits of every option, assessing which option is likely to bring them the greatest gain. They feel that they are more likely to make the best decision possible if they can choose from a wide variety of possibilities or situations. They are wary of missing out on a good opportunity, so they will research many options, and will finally choose the option that they believe to be most likely to maximize their gains.
A prevention focused individual is more likely to feel very overwhelmed by options. Every new option presents a new set of potential threats, a new set of defects, or a new way to potentially lose something important to them. When they evaluate multiple options, they look for the flaws inherent to each new option. This type of person is likely to pick things that they already know are safe as a result.
So What?
I noted above that we need to know when to view goals from a prevention standpoint, or when it would be most useful to view them from a promotion stand point. Balance is always key! But, personally, I know that I need to move away from an excess of prevention mindsets.This shows up in many aspects of my life from investing, to my career. Just thinking about this concept, despite the fact that it came to me through my work, has already made a world of difference! I hope it also empowers you in some way!
Sources:
There are many!! But here is a very comprehensible and complete one!
Pham, Michel Tuan and E. Tory Higgins (2005), “Promotion and Prevention in Consumer Decision Making: The State of the Art and Theoretical Propositions,” in Inside Consumption: Frontiers of Research on Consumer Motives, Goals, and Desires, S. Ratneshwar & David Glen Mick (eds.), London, UK: Routledge.