How can food choice best be trained? Approach-avoidance versus go/no-go training

Abstract

Behavior toward appetitive stimuli can be changed by motor response training procedures in which participants approach or respond to some stimuli and avoid or inhibit behavior to other stimuli. There is discussion in the literature whether effects are different when participants approach versus avoid stimuli during approach-avoidance training compared to when they respond versus not respond to stimuli during go/no-go training. Here, we directly compared effects of approach-avoidance training and go/no-go training on food choice within the same rigorous experimental protocol. Results showed that both training procedures influence food choice such that participants preferred Approach over Avoidance food items, and Go over NoGo food items, and these training effects were not statistically different. The present work suggests any inconsistencies in the literature on possible differences in effectiveness of these training procedures may be explained by differences in methods employed. The present work also raises new theoretical and applied questions about motor response training as a means to change behavior.