A body of empirical research shows that pursuing goals via means that do not fit (vs. do fit) one's regulatory mode creates resistance that disrupts motivation. However, other empirical research shows that resistance sometimes motivates people to work harder toward their goals, suggesting that regulatory nonfit (vs. fit) might be more motivating at times. The current research tests this possibility while also demonstrating how an integral dimension of a goal-a person's preexisting commitment to it-determines when regulatory nonfit (vs. fit) is more motivating. Three initial studies provide evidence that, among people low in preexisting commitment, regulatory nonfit (vs. fit) demotivates people: goal value and intentions to pursue the goal become lower with nonfit (vs. fit). However, among people high in preexisting commitment, regulatory nonfit (vs. fit) motivates people: goal value and intentions to pursue the goal become higher with nonfit (vs. fit). Three additional studies document an experimental causal chain providing evidence for underlying mechanisms: regulatory nonfit (vs. fit) creates an experience of resistance that people need to interpret, and preexisting commitment shifts whether people interpret resistance as a negative or positive motivational signal. Finally, two studies demonstrate how naturally occurring variance in preexisting goal commitment moderates the effect of experiencing regulatory nonfit (vs. fit) on people's subsequent goal-directed behavior. By identifying an integral dimension of goals that can reverse the motivational effects of regulatory nonfit, the present research connects with other work documenting the importance of mindsets about resistance, and suggests novel implications for motivating desired behaviors. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2021 APA, all rights reserved).

中文翻译：

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当事情变得艰难时，承诺的开始：预先存在的目标承诺决定了经历监管不适应的后果。

大量实证研究表明，通过不适合（与适合）监管模式的方式追求目标会产生阻碍动机的阻力。然而，其他实证研究表明，阻力有时会促使人们更加努力地实现目标，这表明监管不适合（与适合）有时可能更具激励作用。当前的研究测试了这种可能性，同时还展示了一个目标的一个整体维度——一个人对它的预先存在的承诺——如何决定监管不适合（与适合）何时更有动力。三项初步研究提供的证据表明，在预先存在的承诺较低的人中，监管不适合（与适合）会使人们失去动力：目标价值和追求目标的意图随着不适合（与适合）而降低。然而，在预先存在的承诺高的人中，监管不适合（vs. fit）激励人们：目标价值和追求目标的意图随着不适合（vs. fit）变得更高。另外三项研究记录了一个实验因果链，为潜在机制提供了证据：监管不适应（与适应）创造了人们需要解释的抵抗体验，并且先前存在的承诺改变了人们将抵抗解释为消极还是积极的动机信号。最后，两项研究证明了预先存在的目标承诺中自然发生的差异如何调节经历监管不适应（与适应）对人们随后的目标导向行为的影响。通过确定可以逆转监管不适应的动机影响的目标的整体维度，本研究与记录有关抵抗的心态的重要性的其他工作相结合，并提出了激励所需行为的新含义。（PsycInfo 数据库记录 (c) 2021 APA，保留所有权利）。