The resolution of approach-avoidance conflict

Abstract

Betting problems which established approach-avoidance conflicts were administered to college students in five experiments. The results of these experiments led to the development of a two-gradient model of approach-avoidance conflict. This model completed the integration of the essential postulates in Miller's conflict (1944) and displacement (1948) models, reduced the number of these postulates, modified the resolution postulate, and, at the same time, allowed an increase in the number of different kinds of approach-avoidance conflicts that could be considered. A review of previous conflict studies led to the conclusions that two different procedures are used to produce conflict and that a single-gradient model should be used when conflict is produced by the punishment of an approach response, while the two-gradient model developed in the present experiments should be used when conflicts are produced by the simultaneous arousal of independently established approach and avoidance tendencies.