The present study is based on Regulatory Focus Theory (Higgins, E.T. (1997). Beyond pleasure and pain. American Psychologist, 52, 1280-1300) and Regulatory Fit Theory (Higgins, E.T. (2000). Making a good decision: Value from fit. American Psychologist, 55, 1217-1230; Higgins, E.T. (2005). Value from regulatory fit. Current Directions in Psychological Science, 14, 209-213). It investigates the interaction effect between goalkeeper-thrower system regulatory strategy and reward structure on penalty success. The sample is composed of 438 penalties collected from the regular season 2017-2018 of the top French men`s handball championship. Logistic regression analyses show an interaction effect trend between regulatory strategy and reward structure (Wald test = 2.51 ; p = 0.09). When regulatory strategy and reward structure fit for goalkeeper and no-fit for thrower, penalty success decreases (OR = 0.71). In conversely situation, penalty success increases (OR = 4.74). Thus, results support Regulatory Fit Theory and point out the great potential of this theory with regard to both, understanding and enhancing the processing of sport performance. From these results, we address practical implications.
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