ABSTRACT
Most behavior stems from motivation. As we maneuver through the environment we choose actions from a large repertoire of behaviors. These behaviors are strongly affected by our learning history, but also by our current motivational state to approach positive outcomes or avoid negative outcomes. For example, one could be motivated to be on time for a meeting or to avoid being late for a meeting. Similarly, one could be motivated to achieve a particular score on an exam or avoid falling below a particular score. The goal is the same, but the motivational frame through which one views the goal is different. The approach-avoidance dichotomy is well established in the traditional psychology of motivation (Aarts, Gollwitzer & Hassin, 2004; Ferguson & Bargh, 2004; Fishbach, Friedman, & Kruglanski, 2003; Gray, 1970, 1985; Higgins, 2000; Hull, 1943; Lewin, 1935; Mowrer, 1960; Murty, LaBar, Hamilton, & Adcock, 2011). Perhaps surprisingly, most cognitive research focuses on information processing and its effects on learning and behavior, with little attention paid to the factors that drive or motivate one to act.
