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    Area of Science:

    • Psychology
    • Cognitive Neuroscience
    • Social Psychology

    Background:

    • Self-regulation theories highlight the symbolic self's role in guiding approach-avoidance behaviors.
    • Empirical evidence for the symbolic self's influence on action tendencies has been limited.

    Purpose of the Study:

    • To experimentally investigate the role of the symbolic self in approach and avoidance movements.
    • To provide evidence supporting self-related theories of approach and avoidance.

    Main Methods:

    • Two experiments were conducted with 157 participants.
    • Participants moved self-relevant ('me') or non-self ('not me') agents toward positive or negative words.
    • Movement speed to word valence was measured.

    Main Results:

    • The symbolic self agent moved significantly faster toward positive words compared to negative words.
    • No such valence-specific speed difference was observed for the non-self agent.
    • Movement speed was contingent on the agent's self-relevance and the destination's valence.

    Conclusions:

    • The symbolic self plays a distinct role in approach and avoidance behaviors.
    • Findings support theories positing a unique function for the self in action regulation.
    • Experimental evidence confirms the link between the symbolic self and approach-avoidance tendencies.