Approach, avoidance and weight-related testing: An investigation of frontal EEG asymmetry

Two motivational systems underlie behaviour and affective responses - an inhibition/avoidance system and an activation/approach system. The purpose of the present study was to explore if individual differences in these motivational systems would occur in response to common weight and body composition testing within a sample of young, adult women. Electroencephalogram was used to distinguish approach or avoidance orientations via frontal asymmetry before and after testing sessions. Clear distinctions in motivational response were found, with 65% of the sample responding with an approach motivation, while 35% responded with an avoidance motivation. Even though all participants, on average, experienced a negative affective response, only the avoidance group self-reported a subsequent increase in "comfort food" consumption of desserts and snacks the week following the testing session. As shown with other stressors, clear individual differences exist in motivational responses to common weight and body composition testing. Such testing produces a general negative affective response; however, the individual differences in motivational responses might produce different behavioural choices. Future research and interventions in health communication should be considerate to this variation in motivational responses to help explain changes in both healthy and unhealthy behaviours following interactions involving one's body weight and/or body composition.