Messaging organizational change: How regulatory fit relates to openness to change through fairness perceptions

Regulatory fit theory predicts that matching a message to individuals' motivational orientation feels right, thereby enhancing fairness perceptions. In two studies we tested whether, through fairness perceptions, regulatory fit relates to greater openness to change, especially when that change has negative consequences for its recipients. Study 1 was a field experiment conducted among primary and middle school teachers who, respectively,...