Speech and Rhetorical Studies Commons^™

Regulatory Fit Explains Students’ Emotional Responses To Graded Speech Assignments, Chris R. Sawyer, Delwin E. Richey, Karley A. Goen

Basic Communication Course Annual

Students’ emotional responses often provide valuable indicators of whether they are languishing or flourishing in their first-year classes, including introductory communication courses. Grading often exerts a strong influence on students’ emotions. However, though students generally have positive moods after receiving high marks and negative ones when their grades are low, the intensity of these responses varies considerably. The current study examines whether Higgins’ (2012) regulatory fit theory accounts for students’ differing moods after receiving grades on introductory speech assignments. According to this perspective, prevention focus students use vigilance to avoid adverse outcomes. Thus, low evaluations provide a regulatory fit for …