The processing of task-irrelevant emotion and colour in the Approach-Avoidance Task

Abstract. Empirical evidence suggests that the color red acts like an implicit avoidance cue in food contexts. Thus specific colors seem to guide the implicit evaluation of food items. We built upon this research by investigating the implicit meaning of color (red vs. green) in an approach-avoidance task with healthy and unhealthy food items. Thus, we examined the joint evaluative effects of color and food: Participants had to categorize food items by approach-avoidance reactions, according to their healthfulness. Items were surrounded by task-irrelevant red or green circles. We found that the implicit meaning of the traffic light colors influenced participants’ reactions to the food items. The color red (compared to green) facilitated automatic avoidance reactions to unhealthy foods. By contrast, approach behavior toward healthy food items was not moderated by color. Our findings suggest that traffic light colors can act as implicit cues that guide automatic behavioral reactions to food.

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Cognitive Bias Modification bei Pathologischem Glücksspiel mithilfe einer online-basierten Approach-Avoidance Task

Suchttherapie ◽

10.1055/s-0035-1557700 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 16 (S 01) ◽

Author(s):

C Wittekind ◽

J Bierbrodt ◽

A Feist ◽

S Moritz ◽

I Hand

Keyword(s):

Cognitive Bias ◽

Cognitive Bias Modification ◽

Avoidance Task ◽

Approach Avoidance ◽

Bias Modification

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Higher affective congruency in the approach-avoidance task is associated with insular deactivation to dynamic facial expressions

Neuropsychologia ◽

10.1016/j.neuropsychologia.2020.107734 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 151 ◽

pp. 107734

Author(s):

Katia M. Harlé ◽

Alan N. Simmons ◽

Jessica Bomyea ◽

Andrea D. Spadoni ◽

Charles T. Taylor

Keyword(s):

Facial Expressions ◽

Avoidance Task ◽

Dynamic Facial Expressions ◽

Approach Avoidance

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Dessert Approach Avoidance Task

PsycTESTS Dataset ◽

10.1037/t79035-000 ◽

2016 ◽

Author(s):

Christine N. May ◽

James Juergensen ◽

Heath A. Demaree

Keyword(s):

Avoidance Task ◽

Approach Avoidance

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Approaching contamination-related stimuli with an implicit Approach-Avoidance Task: Can it reduce OCD symptoms? An online pilot study

Journal of Behavior Therapy and Experimental Psychiatry ◽

10.1016/j.jbtep.2017.05.007 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 57 ◽

pp. 180-188 ◽

Cited By ~ 7

Author(s):

Ricarda Weil ◽

Ansgar Feist ◽

Steffen Moritz ◽

Charlotte E. Wittekind

Keyword(s):

Pilot Study ◽

Avoidance Task ◽

Implicit Approach ◽

Approach Avoidance

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Stop Pushing Me Away: Relative Level of Facebook Addiction Is Associated With Implicit Approach Motivation for Facebook Stimuli

Psychological Reports ◽

10.1177/0033294118798624 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 122 (6) ◽

pp. 2012-2025 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

James Juergensen ◽

Christina Leckfor

Keyword(s):

Behavioral Measure ◽

Avoidance Task ◽

Approach Motivation ◽

Relative Level ◽

Implicit Approach ◽

Initial Support ◽

Approach Avoidance ◽

Facebook Addiction ◽

Approach And Withdrawal ◽

And Training

The use of Facebook and other social media sites has increased to the point that some consider it to be a behavioral addiction. Previously, research has used the Approach–Avoidance Task to measure implicit approach and withdrawal tendencies in response to a variety of stimuli, including alcohol, desserts, cigarettes, spiders, and cannabis. When responding to these types of stimuli, individuals typically evidence an approach bias toward appetitive images and a withdrawal bias in response to undesirable and/or fearful stimuli. The present study was designed to test the validity of an adapted version of the Approach–Avoidance Task by investigating how self-reported Facebook addiction tendencies, measured via the Bergen Facebook Addiction Scale, predicted automatic approach tendencies toward Facebook-related stimuli using the Facebook-Approach–Avoidance Task. Participants with higher self-reported tendencies of Facebook addiction tended to approach Facebook-related stimuli faster. The present study is the first to indicate a relationship between self-reported Facebook addiction tendencies and implicit approach motivation using a behavioral measure. This finding provides initial support for the use of the Facebook-Approach–Avoidance Task as a measure of Facebook addiction, and further validation could lead to the development of additional assessment and training paradigms in the future.

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Die implizite Selbstregulation am Beispiel des Essverhaltens: Konsequenzen für die Psychotherapie

PPmP - Psychotherapie · Psychosomatik · Medizinische Psychologie ◽

10.1055/a-0845-9439 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 69 (11) ◽

pp. 453-461

Author(s):

Georgios Paslakis ◽

Martina de Zwaan

Keyword(s):

Avoidance Task ◽

Approach Avoidance

ZusammenfassungExplizite Prozesse der Selbstregulation sind mit Introspektion und Einsicht verbunden und werden deswegen häufig als mühevoll erlebt, während implizite Prozesse der Steuerung des Selbst automatisiert, schnell und mühelos ablaufen. Allerdings ist Selbstregulation nicht stets entweder explizit oder implizit; alle Varianten zwischen völlig automatisiert bis hin zu völlig kontrolliert sind vorhanden. Implizite Prozesse sind im Vergleich zu expliziten Prozessen enger mit verkörperten, affektnahen -im Gegensatz zu kognitiven, verbalisierbaren- Erfahrungen verbunden, sodass es denkbar ist, dass zur Ermittlung impliziten Erlebens Methoden zum Einsatz kommen, die den Körper miteinbeziehen bzw. den Körper in einen Zustand überführen, in dem die Wahrnehmung impliziten Geschehens ermöglicht werden kann. Zudem besteht in der Psychotherapie die Notwendigkeit für die Implementierung von neurobiologisch begründeten Methoden, die auf einer impliziten, prä-verbalen Ebene ansetzen. Einige Paradigmen dazu, u. a. der sogenannte approach-avoidance task (AAT) zur Erfassung impliziter Handlungsregulation sind bereits in Erprobung. Derartige Paradigmen werden hier am Beispiel der Regulation des Essverhaltens vorgestellt. Bei der vorliegenden Arbeit handelt es sich um eine narrative (qualitative) Übersicht, die das Ziel verfolgt, über Entwicklungen auf dem Gebiet der Forschung zu impliziten Bias und die Entwicklung von neuartigen, noch experimentell eingesetzten Instrumenten im Rahmen künftiger psychotherapeutischer Behandlungen zu informieren. Zu diesem Zweck wurde eine Auswahl von relevanten Studien nach subjektiven Kriterien der Autoren getroffen. Es handelt sich somit nicht um eine lückenlose Darstellung der Studienlage zu impliziten Bias im Sinne eines systematischen Reviews.

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Acute aerobic exercise increases implicit approach motivation for dessert images

Journal of Health Psychology ◽

10.1177/1359105316657404 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 23 (6) ◽

pp. 807-817 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Christine N May ◽

Nora L Nock ◽

Devon Bentley ◽

Heath A Demaree

Keyword(s):

Acute Exercise ◽

Cognitive Task ◽

Avoidance Task ◽

Approach Motivation ◽

Future Studies ◽

Avoidance Motivation ◽

Implicit Approach ◽

Approach Avoidance ◽

Food Images ◽

Implicit Response

We examined the effect of acute exercise compared to a cognitive task on implicit approach/avoidance motivation to dessert food images using the Dessert–Approach–Avoidance Task. Participants randomized to exercise had a greater increase in approach motivation to dessert images compared to those completing cognitive tasks ( p=0.046), adjusting for disordered eating, task difficulty, and changes in negative affect. This study provides the first evidence for the use of the Dessert–Approach–Avoidance Task to evaluate the effects of acute exercise on implicit motivations for dessert images. Future studies should examine implicit response to food images using the Dessert–Approach–Avoidance Task in response to chronic exercise.

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Approach and Avoidance Tendencies Toward Picture Stimuli of (Pre-)Pubescent Children and Adults: An Investigation in Pedophilic and Nonpedophilic Samples

Sexual Abuse ◽

10.1177/1079063217697134 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 30 (7) ◽

pp. 781-802 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

K. Weidacker ◽

C. Kärgel ◽

C. Massau ◽

S. Weiß ◽

J. Kneer ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Cognitive Abilities ◽

Binary Logistic Regression ◽

Cognitive Capacity ◽

Avoidance Reaction ◽

Stimulus Category ◽

Avoidance Task ◽

Approach And Avoidance ◽

Picture Stimuli ◽

Approach Avoidance ◽

Sexual Interests

The presence of pedophilic sexual interests is considered of high importance for predicting recidivism among individuals who have committed sexual offenses. However, objective and valid assessment methods that are robust against confounding issues such as cognitive capacity and manipulation are sparse. We applied the Approach–Avoidance Task (AAT) for detecting sexual interests in 38 pedophilic men (18 primarily attracted to boys) and 27 male nonpedophilic (11 gay) participants. The AAT relies on automatic approach and avoidance tendencies, independent of cognitive abilities such as memory capacity and intelligence. Approach–avoidance tendencies toward stimuli depicting seminude prepubescent boys and girls as well as men and women are reported. The results were consistent with previous research on the utility of the AAT: Except for pedophiles attracted to girls, the mean AAT scores (approach minus avoidance reaction time for each stimulus category) were positive only for stimuli of the preferred category. A multivariate binary logistic regression approach revealed 80% overall accuracy in differentiating pedophilic from nonpedophilic participants.

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