Definition
Approach and avoidance motivation is composed of three conceptually distinct components. Approach indicates a propensity to move toward (or maintain contact with) a desired stimulus. Avoidance indicates a propensity to move away from (or maintain distance from) an undesired stimulus. Motivation is defined as the energization and direction of behavior. The valence of stimuli is at the core of the distinction between approach and avoidance, with positively valenced stimuli typically leading to approach and negatively valenced stimuli typically leading to avoidance. Stimuli can be external or internal, implicit or explicit, conscious or non-conscious.
Theoretical Background
The distinction between approach and avoidance has roots extending back to the time of the ancient Greek philosophers. Philosophers such as Democritus and Aristippus used the concept of hedonism to describe how people should live. The...
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
References
Crites, S., & Cacioppo, J. (1996). Electrocortical differentiation of evaluative and nonevaluative categorizations. Psychological Science, 7, 318–321.
Elliot, A. J., & Church, M. A. (1997). A hierarchical model of approach and avoidance achievement motivation. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 72, 218–232.
Elliot, A. J., & McGregor, H. A. (2001). A 2 × 2 achievement goal framework. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 80, 501–519.
Fredrickson, B. L. (2001). The role of positive emotions in positive psychology: The broaden-and-build theory of positive emotions. The American Psychologist, 56, 218–226.
James, W. (1890). The principles of psychology (Vol. 2). New York: Henry Holt.
Schneirla, T. (1959). An evolutionary and developmental theory of biphasic processes underlying approach and withdrawl. In M. Jones (Ed.), Nebraska symposium on motivation (pp. 1–42). Lincoln: University of Nebraska Press.
Wundt, W. (1887). Grundzüge der physiologischen psychologie (3rd ed.). Leipzig: Engelmann.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2012 Springer Science+Business Media, LLC
About this entry
Cite this entry
Feltman, R., Elliot, A.J. (2012). Approach and Avoidance Motivation. In: Seel, N.M. (eds) Encyclopedia of the Sciences of Learning. Springer, Boston, MA. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4419-1428-6_1749
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4419-1428-6_1749
Publisher Name: Springer, Boston, MA
Print ISBN: 978-1-4419-1427-9
Online ISBN: 978-1-4419-1428-6
eBook Packages: Humanities, Social Sciences and Law