title: Social networks and life satisfaction: The interplay of network density and regulatory focus.
abstract: We propose that an individual's regulatory focus moderates the significant role social network density-the degree of interconnectedness among a person's social contacts-plays in shaping life satisfaction. Evidence from Study 1 indicates that participants withhigh prevention effectivenessreportedhigherlife satisfaction when they were embedded in ahigh-densitynetwork, whereas participants withlow promotion effectivenessreportedlowerlife satisfaction when they were embedded in alow-densitynetwork. Study 2 further specifies the underlying mechanism, namely that participants with high prevention effectiveness are more likely to obtain support for meeting obligations and responsibilities when they are embedded in a high-density network, whereas participants with low promotion effectiveness suffer from the support for creative inspiration and personal development in a low-density network (by highlighting their promotion failure). Implications for studying the interplay between social networks and individuals' self-regulatory motives are discussed.
authors.affiliation: London Business School, Regent's Park, London, NW1 4SA UK.
authors.forename: Xi
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Zou
authors.affiliation: Columbia University, New York, NY USA.
authors.forename: Paul
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Ingram
authors.affiliation: Columbia University, New York, NY USA.
authors.forename: E Tory
authors.initials: ET
authors.lastname: Higgins
keywords: Life satisfaction; Perceived support; Regulatory focus; Social networks