Approach, avoidance, and their conflict: the problem of anchoring

McNaughton, Neil; Corr, Philip J.

doi:10.3389/fnsys.2014.00124

Cited by 70 publications

(23 citation statements)

References 41 publications

(55 reference statements)

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“…Characters that signaled a combination of threat and reward were used instead of characters that signaled only reward, as this type of incentive conflict has been theorized to be sensitive to distance manipulations (McNaughton & Corr, 2004). We term this motivational condition Defensive Approach, in line with previous literature (McNaughton & Corr, 2004, 2014). …”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 95%

Spatial proximity amplifies valence in emotional memory and defensive approach-avoidance

et al. 2015

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In urban areas, people often have to stand or move in close proximity to others. The egocentric distance to stimuli is a powerful determinant of defensive behavior in animals. Yet, little is known about how spatial proximity to others alters defensive responses in humans. We hypothesized that the valence of social cues scales with egocentric distance, such that proximal social stimuli have more positive or negative valence than distal stimuli. This would predict enhanced defensive responses to proximal threat and reduced defensive responses to proximal reward. We tested this hypothesis across four experiments using 3-D virtual reality simulations. Results from Experiment 1 confirmed that proximal social stimuli facilitate defensive responses, as indexed by fear-potentiated startle, relative to distal stimuli. Experiment 2 revealed that interpersonal defensive boundaries flexibly increase with aversive learning. Experiment 3 examined whether spatial proximity enhances memory for aversive experiences. Fear memories for social threats encroaching on the body were more persistent than those acquired at greater interpersonal distances, as indexed by startle. Lastly, Experiment 4 examined how egocentric distance influenced startle responses to social threats during defensive approach and avoidance. Whereas fear-potentiated startle increased with proximity when participants actively avoided receiving shocks, startle decreased with proximity when participants tolerated shocks to receive monetary rewards, implicating opposing gradients of distance on threat versus reward. Thus, proximity in egocentric space amplifies the valence of social stimuli that, in turn, facilitates emotional memory and approach-avoidance responses. These findings have implications for understanding the consequences of increased urbanization on affective interpersonal behavior.

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Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 95%

Spatial proximity amplifies valence in emotional memory and defensive approach-avoidance

et al. 2015

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“…The BIS detects approach-withdrawal conflict and, when these are of similar strength, releases RA behaviors, including exploration, while inhibiting pre-potent approach and withdrawal. From [15].…”

Section: Fig 1 Overall Relation Of Goal Approach (Bas) Goal Withdrmentioning

confidence: 99%

Survival circuits and risk assessment

McNaughton

Corr

2018

Current Opinion in Behavioral Sciences

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Risk assessment (RA) behavior is unusual in the context of survival circuits. An external object elicits eating, mating or fleeing; but conflict between internal approach and withdrawal tendencies elicits RAspecific behavior that scans the environment for new information to bring closure. Recently rodent and human threat responses have been compared using 'predators' that can be real (e.g. a tarantula), robot, virtual, or symbolic (with the last three rendered predatory by the use of shock). 'Quick and dirty' survival circuits in the periaqueductal grey, hypothalamus, and amygdala control external RA behavior. These subcortical circuits activate, and are partially inhibited by, higher-order internal RA processes (anxiety, memory scanning, evaluation and sometimes-maladaptive rumination) in the ventral hippocampus and medial prefrontal cortex.

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“…Weakening one state releases the other whereas strengthening one state suppresses the other. Miller's analysis in terms of gradients of approach and avoidance (Figure 1), have been retained, largely unchanged, for almost a century (Boyd et al, 2011;Corr, 2004Corr, , 2013Corr and McNaughton, 2012;Forster et al, 1998;Kakoschke et al, 2017;Korucuoglu et al, 2014;McNaughton, 2014;McNaughton et al, 2016;O'Neil et al, 2015).…”

Section: Opponent Process Modelsmentioning

confidence: 99%

An arbiter model of motivational selection

McNally¹

2019

Preprint

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Although significant progress has been made in understanding how learning controls the operation of motivational systems, much less is known about how motivational systems control behavior to achieve motivational stability and resolve motivational conflict. Here we provide an overview of the basic characteristics of motivational conflict as well as historically influential approaches to understanding motivational stability and conflict. This is followed by an outline of an arbiter model of motivational stability and conflict that shares concepts with theories of perceptual decision making and executive function. This model uses a simple architecture to arbiter bistable transitions between motivational states and resolve any conflict between these states. A physiological instantiation of this model is described in paraventricular thalamus control of neuronal ensembles in the accumbens shell and extended amygdala. Finally, we consider applications of the arbiter model to disorders such as clinical anxiety and addictions.

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Approach, avoidance, and their conflict: the problem of anchoring

Cited by 70 publications

References 41 publications

Spatial proximity amplifies valence in emotional memory and defensive approach-avoidance

Spatial proximity amplifies valence in emotional memory and defensive approach-avoidance

Survival circuits and risk assessment

An arbiter model of motivational selection

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