承諾續擴是西方非理性決策的經典現象,然而,過去臺灣研究卻發現與西方理論不一致的證據,責任效果並不顯著,但至今尚未有學者驗證出一個合理的解釋機制,為重要的研究缺口。研究一旨在釐清臺灣的承諾續擴現象,結果顯示臺灣人對於先前自我成功決策呈現高度承諾性投資傾向,筆者稱之成功耽溺,有別於西方人投資於自我失敗決策的承諾續擴。研究二從調控焦點的文化差異著眼,過去研究顯示自我建構基模為相依我的華人傾向採取預防調控焦點,獨立我的西方人傾向採取促進調控焦點,可能為東西方投資決策差異的關鍵,結果發現調控焦點與決策成敗結果對個體的承諾性投資量有顯著的交互效果,預防調控焦點個體對成功決策的承諾性投資量,確實大於失敗決策的承諾性投資量,此外,預防調控焦點個體有較顯著的正向投資傾向,促進調控焦點個體則持有較強烈的成功預期。最後,進一步提出延伸的綜合討論、本研究限制與未來研究發展。
A classic case of irrational decision-making in West is the tendency to escalate prior commitments. However, past research on escalation of commitment showed some inconsistencies between Easterners and Westerns, and the problems still remain unclear for a long time. The main purpose of study 1 was to examine the escalation of commitment in Taiwan, and the results suggest that Taiwanese, unlike Westerns who escalate their commitments on prior failing decisions, tend to allocate more resources on prior effective decisions, entrapped in success. According to cross-cultural research on regulatory focus motivation, Easterners with interdependent self-construal tend to have stronger prevention focus motivation and Westerns with independent self-construal tend to have stronger promotion focus motivation, and Study 2 concerned the effects of regulatory focus motivation on investment decision when decision makers had higher personal responsibility. The results indicated that there is an interaction effect between regulatory focus and investment decision, and individuals primed with prevention focus invested more in continuance commitments on successful decision rather than failing decision. Besides, individuals primed with prevention focus tended to invest more in positive consequence and those with promotion focus had more positive anticipation. Finally, limitations and suggestions for further research were discussed.