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Related Concept Videos

Frustration and Conflict: Approach-Approach, Approach-Avoidance01:20

Frustration and Conflict: Approach-Approach, Approach-Avoidance

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Frustration occurs when people are obstructed or prevented from achieving a desired goal or fulfilling a perceived need. For example, when someone's input is ignored in a discussion, it can lead to feelings of frustration. Conflict, however, arises from opposing interests, goals, or actions. Conflicts can take various forms based on the nature of these opposing desires or goals.
One common type of conflict is the Approach–Approach Conflict. In this case, a person faces two desirable...
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Frustration and Conflict: Avoidance-Avoidance, Double-Approach Avoidance01:14

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Avoidance-avoidance conflict refers to a psychological situation where a person must choose between two or more unpleasant alternatives. These conflicts are particularly stressful because neither option is desirable. This dilemma is often expressed in sayings like "caught between a rock and a hard place" or "between the devil and the deep blue sea." For instance, individuals who fear dental procedures may find themselves torn between enduring a painful toothache or facing the...
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Social Anxiety Disorder01:28

Social Anxiety Disorder

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Social anxiety disorder, also known as social phobia, is characterized by an intense fear of social situations where one might face humiliation, rejection, embarrassment, or negative evaluation. This disorder leads individuals to avoid activities like casual conversations, public speaking, or seemingly simple tasks such as eating, signing documents, or swimming, in public settings. Its impact extends beyond discomfort, often significantly interfering with daily functioning and quality of life.
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Personality Disorders: Narcissistic and Avoidant01:26

Personality Disorders: Narcissistic and Avoidant

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Narcissistic and avoidant personality traits represent two contrasting patterns of behavior that significantly influence social interactions and self-perception. While individuals with narcissistic disorder seek admiration and validation, individuals with avoidant personality disorder withdraw due to fear of judgment.
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Narcissistic individuals exhibit an inflated sense of self-importance and an excessive need for admiration. They are often...
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Horney's Sociocultural Approach01:27

Horney's Sociocultural Approach

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Karen Horney's psychoanalytic theories emphasize the potential for self-realization and the importance of addressing social and cultural, rather than biological, factors in personality development. She challenged traditional Freudian views, particularly Freud's concept of "penis envy," which she argued stemmed from cultural influences rather than inherent biological differences. Horney believed that any sense of inferiority in women was a result of societal conditioning, such as...
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Autism Spectrum Disorder01:19

Autism Spectrum Disorder

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Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental condition marked by persistent deficits in social communication and interaction alongside restrictive and repetitive behaviors or interests. ASD is sometimes accompanied by intellectual impairment.
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Pandemic related changes in social interaction are associated with changes in automatic approach-avoidance behaviour.

Amanda Henwood1, Mike Rinck2, Dario Krpan3

  • 1Department of Psychological and Behavioural Science, London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE), London, UK. a.j.henwood@lse.ac.uk.

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During the COVID-19 pandemic, reduced social interaction was linked to quicker avoidance of sad faces. This suggests automatic approach-avoidance tendencies protect individuals during crises.

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Area of Science:

  • Psychology
  • Social Psychology
  • Behavioral Science

Background:

  • Approach and avoidance tendencies are fundamental human motivators influencing behavior and well-being.
  • Research has primarily focused on how motivational orientations impact behavior, with less attention to the reverse relationship.
  • The COVID-19 pandemic provided a unique context to study changes in automatic behavioral tendencies.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate whether changes in social behavior during the COVID-19 pandemic were associated with shifts in automatic approach-avoidance tendencies.
  • To explore the temporal relationship between adherence to social restrictions and automatic responses to emotional stimuli.

Main Methods:

  • Online surveys collected data on adherence to UK government social restrictions at three time points.
  • Automatic approach-avoidance tendencies were measured in response to sad/happy faces and social scenes.
  • Statistical analyses examined the association between social interaction levels and approach-avoidance behaviors.

Main Results:

  • Reduced overall social interaction (digital and in-person) was significantly associated with a faster avoidance response compared to an approach response to sad faces.
  • This finding held across the three data collection points during the pandemic.

Conclusions:

  • Automatic approach-avoidance tendencies may serve a protective function, helping individuals cope with negative experiences like reduced social interaction.
  • These findings have implications for understanding public resilience during crises and the interplay between social behavior and fundamental motivational systems.