Approach and Avoidance Goal States in Daily Life: Antecedents and Consequences of Intraindividual Variability

Project 1: Approach and Avoidance Goal States in Daily Life: Antecedents and Consequences of Intraindividual Variability

Approach and avoidance are fundamental motivational orientations – striving to approach positive outcomes and striving to avoid negative outcomes are ubiquitous phenomena in animals and humans. The two motivational orientations are associated with distinct cognitive (thought, awareness, perception, memory), affective (emotions, well-being, life satisfaction) and behavioral (persistence, performance) consequences. On a general level, an approach (vs. avoidance) motivational orientation was shown to be associated with desirable consequences (e.g., attention to positive information, well-being, joyful and successful goal pursuit). Past research has claimed approach vs. avoidance motivational orientations to be a stable characteristic of a person. We aim to complement this perspective on stable individual differences in approach and avoidance orientations by investigating the dynamic nature of approach and avoidance goals. We focus on antecedents and consequences of intraindividual variability, which we examine in two goal domains, i.e. academic achievement and intimate relationships. On the long run, our research can inform not only research in applied psychology (e.g., health psychology, clinical psychology, educational psychology), but also practical fields, such as public health counseling, coaching, psychotherapy, and teaching.

Prof. Dr. Veronika Brandstätter

Prof. Dr. Marie Hennecke, University of Siegen

Miriam Pfister, MSc

Melanie Koch, MSc, University of Siegen

Swiss National Science Foundation (PI: Veronika Brandstätter) und German Science Foundation (PI: Marie Hennecke, University of Siegen)