Regulatory Focus Test (RFQ)
Higgins et al. (2001) · 11 items · driven by gains or by safety?
Why does one person spend all day chasing "more" while another fixates on "don't mess up"? Regulatory focus theory says those are two separate motivational systems: promotion focus runs on gains and growth, prevention focus runs on safety and duty. This 11-item test, based on the questionnaire published by Higgins and colleagues (2001), scores each system independently. About 3 minutes.
Trying to win, or trying not to lose
It sounds like an either/or. It isn't. Regulatory focus theory splits goal pursuit into two separate systems. Promotion focus watches the upside: what you can gain, how far you can grow. Prevention focus watches safety: what you must not lose, which duties cannot slip. The two are scored separately, so you can be high on both, or middling on both.
Higgins measured them through subjective histories of success — as you grew up, did you register the things you pulled off, or the lines you never crossed?
Reading your two scores
- High promotion: you're moved by what happens if it works. You'll try a route nobody has taken, and the buzz after a win lingers.
- High prevention: you scan for risk first, and getting the details right is its own reward.
- High on both: strong goal drive, but also a lot of internal tug-of-war, pushing forward while watching for mistakes.
- Low on both: goals matter less than the situation you're in.
About this questionnaire
The RFQ has 11 items on a 5-point scale, 7 of them reverse-scored. Half ask about achievements you remember, half about times you stayed within the rules. E. Tory Higgins and colleagues published it in 2001 in the European Journal of Social Psychology, 31(1).
- Internal consistency: promotion α=.73, prevention α=.80
- Two-month retest: promotion r=.79, prevention r=.81
Result Interpretation
After completing the 11 questions, you'll receive an immediate, detailed report with:
- Your score — calculated automatically based on your responses
- Score interpretation — what your score means in practical terms
- Dimension breakdown — separate scores for each sub-scale
- Context — how your results compare to general population norms where available
All results are displayed on screen. No account or login needed.