What is learned in approach-avoidance tasks? On the scope and generalizability of approach-avoidance effects

Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

Standard

What is learned in approach-avoidance tasks? On the scope and generalizability of approach-avoidance effects. / Hütter, Mandy; Genschow, Oliver.
In: Journal of Experimental Psychology: General, Vol. 149, No. 8, 01.08.2020, p. 1460-1476.

Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

Harvard

APA

Vancouver

Bibtex

@article{f7224287ff1e438da99c2ccd5bcc8252,
title = "What is learned in approach-avoidance tasks? On the scope and generalizability of approach-avoidance effects",
abstract = "Previous research has shown that approaching a stimulus makes it more positive, while avoiding a stimulus makes it more negative. The present research demonstrates that approach-avoidance behaviors have the potential to charge stimulus attributes such as color with evaluative meaning. This evaluation carries over to other stimuli with that feature. We address the latter point by assessing the influence of colors that were approached or avoided on the perceived attractiveness of persons wearing those colors. We show that wearing a certain color makes people appear more attractive when this color is associated with approach rather than avoidance. In line with a self-perception account of these effects, we obtained approach-avoidance effects on stimulus attributes only when participants carried out approach-avoidance behaviors toward these colors or imagined doing so. This set of experiments adds to the evaluative learning literature by demonstrating approach-avoidance effects on stimulus attributes and that these effects carry over to new classes of stimuli and new tasks. Moreover, we systematically investigated boundary conditions for these effects. Finally, with this research we introduce an ontogenetic perspective to research into colors and their influence on psychological functioning.",
keywords = "Approach-avoidance, Attitudes, Color, Generalization, Interpersonal attraction, Business psychology",
author = "Mandy H{\"u}tter and Oliver Genschow",
note = "Funding Information: This work was supported by a Heisenberg grant from the German Research Foundation awarded to Mandy H{\"u}tter (HU 1978/7-1). Parts of this work were presented at the Transfer of Knowledge conference of the European Social Cognition Network (ESCON) in September 2018 and at the Small Group Meeting “Social Cognition & Decision Sciences” held at the University of T{\"u}bingen in July 2019. Funding Information: This work was supported by a Heisenberg grant from the German Research Foundation awarded to Mandy H?tter (HU 1978/7-1). Parts of this work were presented at the Transfer of Knowledge conference of the European Social Cognition Network (ESCON) in September 2018 and at the Small Group Meeting {"}Social Cognition & Decision Sciences{"} held at the University of T?bingen in July 2019. Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2019 American Psychological Association.",
year = "2020",
month = aug,
day = "1",
doi = "10.1037/xge0000728",
language = "English",
volume = "149",
pages = "1460--1476",
journal = "Journal of Experimental Psychology: General",
issn = "0096-3445",
publisher = "American Psychological Association Inc.",
number = "8",

}

RIS

TY - JOUR

T1 - What is learned in approach-avoidance tasks? On the scope and generalizability of approach-avoidance effects

AU - Hütter, Mandy

AU - Genschow, Oliver

N1 - Funding Information: This work was supported by a Heisenberg grant from the German Research Foundation awarded to Mandy Hütter (HU 1978/7-1). Parts of this work were presented at the Transfer of Knowledge conference of the European Social Cognition Network (ESCON) in September 2018 and at the Small Group Meeting “Social Cognition & Decision Sciences” held at the University of Tübingen in July 2019. Funding Information: This work was supported by a Heisenberg grant from the German Research Foundation awarded to Mandy H?tter (HU 1978/7-1). Parts of this work were presented at the Transfer of Knowledge conference of the European Social Cognition Network (ESCON) in September 2018 and at the Small Group Meeting "Social Cognition & Decision Sciences" held at the University of T?bingen in July 2019. Publisher Copyright: © 2019 American Psychological Association.

PY - 2020/8/1

Y1 - 2020/8/1

N2 - Previous research has shown that approaching a stimulus makes it more positive, while avoiding a stimulus makes it more negative. The present research demonstrates that approach-avoidance behaviors have the potential to charge stimulus attributes such as color with evaluative meaning. This evaluation carries over to other stimuli with that feature. We address the latter point by assessing the influence of colors that were approached or avoided on the perceived attractiveness of persons wearing those colors. We show that wearing a certain color makes people appear more attractive when this color is associated with approach rather than avoidance. In line with a self-perception account of these effects, we obtained approach-avoidance effects on stimulus attributes only when participants carried out approach-avoidance behaviors toward these colors or imagined doing so. This set of experiments adds to the evaluative learning literature by demonstrating approach-avoidance effects on stimulus attributes and that these effects carry over to new classes of stimuli and new tasks. Moreover, we systematically investigated boundary conditions for these effects. Finally, with this research we introduce an ontogenetic perspective to research into colors and their influence on psychological functioning.

AB - Previous research has shown that approaching a stimulus makes it more positive, while avoiding a stimulus makes it more negative. The present research demonstrates that approach-avoidance behaviors have the potential to charge stimulus attributes such as color with evaluative meaning. This evaluation carries over to other stimuli with that feature. We address the latter point by assessing the influence of colors that were approached or avoided on the perceived attractiveness of persons wearing those colors. We show that wearing a certain color makes people appear more attractive when this color is associated with approach rather than avoidance. In line with a self-perception account of these effects, we obtained approach-avoidance effects on stimulus attributes only when participants carried out approach-avoidance behaviors toward these colors or imagined doing so. This set of experiments adds to the evaluative learning literature by demonstrating approach-avoidance effects on stimulus attributes and that these effects carry over to new classes of stimuli and new tasks. Moreover, we systematically investigated boundary conditions for these effects. Finally, with this research we introduce an ontogenetic perspective to research into colors and their influence on psychological functioning.

KW - Approach-avoidance

KW - Attitudes

KW - Color

KW - Generalization

KW - Interpersonal attraction

KW - Business psychology

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85078593825&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1037/xge0000728

DO - 10.1037/xge0000728

M3 - Journal articles

C2 - 31916835

AN - SCOPUS:85078593825

VL - 149

SP - 1460

EP - 1476

JO - Journal of Experimental Psychology: General

JF - Journal of Experimental Psychology: General

SN - 0096-3445

IS - 8

ER -

DOI

Recently viewed

Publications

  1. Database Publishing Without Databases
  2. A Lightweight Simulation Model for Soft Robot's Locomotion and its Application to Trajectory Optimization
  3. Transformer with Tree-order Encoding for Neural Program Generation
  4. Closed-loop control of product geometry by using an artificial neural network in incremental sheet forming with active medium
  5. Preventive Emergency Detection Based on the Probabilistic Evaluation of Distributed, Embedded Sensor Networks
  6. A transfer operator based computational study of mixing processes in open flow systems
  7. Automatic enumeration of all connected subgraphs.
  8. Methodologies for Noise and Gross Error Detection using Univariate Signal-Based Approaches in Industrial Application
  9. Enabling Road Condition Monitoring with an on-board Vehicle Sensor Setup
  10. Efficient and accurate ℓ p-norm multiple kernel learning
  11. Neural network-based adaptive fault-tolerant control for strict-feedback nonlinear systems with input dead zone and saturation
  12. Different complex word problems require different combinations of cognitive skills
  13. Semantic Parsing for Knowledge Graph Question Answering with Large Language Models
  14. Control of the inverse pendulum based on sliding mode and model predictive control
  15. Clustering Hydrological Homogeneous Regions and Neural Network Based Index Flood Estimation for Ungauged Catchments
  16. Latent structure perceptron with feature induction for unrestricted coreference resolution
  17. Selecting and Adapting Methods for Analysis and Design in Value-Sensitive Digital Social Innovation Projects: Toward Design Principles
  18. Modeling Effective and Ineffective Knowledge Communication and Learning Discourses in CSCL with Hidden Markov Models
  19. Problem structuring for transitions
  20. Using Decision Trees and Reinforcement Learning for the Dynamic Adjustment of Composite Sequencing Rules in a Flexible Manufacturing System
  21. Spatial mislocalization as a consequence of sequential coding of stimuli
  22. DialogueMaps: Supporting interactive transdisciplinary dialogues with a web-based tool for multi-layer knowledge maps
  23. Real-time RDF extraction from unstructured data streams
  24. A Multivariate Method for Dynamic System Analysis
  25. On the Decoupling and Output Functional Controllability of Robotic Manipulation
  26. Analysis of long-term statistical data of cobalt flows in the EU
  27. Supporting the Development and Implementation of a Digitalization Strategy in SMEs through a Lightweight Architecture-based Method
  28. FFTSMC with Optimal Reference Trajectory Generated by MPC in Robust Robotino Motion Planning with Saturating Inputs
  29. Retest effects in matrix test performance