School of Psychology, National University of Ireland, Galway, Ireland.
Department of Psychology, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany.
Q J Exp Psychol (Hove). 2023 Jan;76(1):160-179. doi: 10.1177/17470218221087625. Epub 2022 Apr 9.
Approach-avoidance conflict is observed in the competing motivations towards the benefits and away from the costs of a decision. The current study investigates the action dynamics of response motion during such conflicts in an attempt to characterise their dynamic resolution. An approach-avoidance conflict was generated by varying the appetitive consequences of a decision (i.e., point rewards and shorter participation time) in the presence of simultaneous aversive consequences (i.e., shock probability). Across two experiments, approach-avoidance conflict differentially affected response trajectories. Approach trajectories were less complex than avoidance trajectories and, as approach and avoidance motivations neared equipotentiality, response trajectories were more deflected from the shortest route to the eventual choice. Consistency in the location of approach and avoidance response options reduced variability in performance enabling more sensitive estimates of dynamic conflict. The time course of competing influences on response trajectories including trial-to-trial effects and conflict between approach and avoidance were estimated using regression analyses. We discuss these findings in terms of a dynamic theory of approach-avoidance that we hope will lead to insights of practical relevance in the field of maladaptive avoidance.
在决策的收益和成本之间存在竞争动机，接近-回避冲突就是由此产生的。本研究试图通过描述其动态决策来探讨冲突中反应运动的行为动态。通过在同时存在厌恶后果（即电击概率）的情况下改变决策的吸引力后果（即点奖励和更短的参与时间）来产生接近-回避冲突。在两个实验中，接近-回避冲突对反应轨迹有不同的影响。接近轨迹比回避轨迹更简单，而且随着接近和回避动机的势均力敌，反应轨迹从最短路径到最终选择的偏离程度更大。接近和回避反应选项的位置一致性降低了性能的可变性，从而能够更敏感地估计动态冲突。使用回归分析估计了对反应轨迹的竞争影响的时间过程，包括试验间效应和接近与回避之间的冲突。我们根据一种动态接近-回避理论讨论这些发现，我们希望这将为适应不良回避领域的实际相关问题提供一些见解。
