Introducing approach motivation

I am sure we are all aware of the human striving to progress, which sits alongside our human attachment to the past (Sedikides & Wildschut, 2022). But are we all familiar with the term "approach motivation"? 

The theory of approach motivation was new to me, stumbling across it when reading a meta-analysis on nostalgia:

"Approach motivation is 'the impulse to go toward' (Harmon-Jones et al., 2013, p. 291) or 'the energization of behavior by, or the direction of behavior toward, positive stimuli (objects, events, possibilities)' (Elliot, 2006, p. 111). Approach motivation exerts a strong influence on human thinking and behavior (Elliot, 2008)" (Sedikides & Wildschut, 2022, p. 5).

Ah: it is unknown because I have heard of avoidance motivation, but not it's twin, approach. How weird is that? Why are we taught so much about avoidance, but rarely hear of its more positive sibling? Anyway, I guess that is a question for another day.

Basically, approach motivation is our drive to seek the new. To see new things, do new things, learn new things, desire new things. Approach motivation is what makes people shop beyond their means, but also to strive for success in sport, in research, and to better themselves. Not only is it a factor in avarice, it is also a factor in human curiosity. 

Approach motivation has two slightly contested elements - stimuli and the "valence of stimuli" or value - suggesting that the definition is still evolving (Harmon-Jones et al., 2013, p. 291). Stimuli has many meanings, but the one most applicable here is that it is "An agency or influence that stimulates to action or [...] that quickens an activity or process" (Simpson & Weiner, 1989, p. 702). There is some thought that stimuli does not necessarily need to be present for approach motivation to exist; and that it simply "may arise from internal processes at the trait [...] or state [...] level" (Harmon-Jones et al., 2013, p. 291).

In other words, thinking nostalgically may spur us to action: there has been no agency or influence other than our own. Does memory count as 'stimuli'? I do not know enough about this field of research to comment. 

But I do like this construct of approach motivation.

Sam

References:

Elliot, A. J. (2006). The hierarchical model of approach-avoidance motivation. Motivation and Emotion, 30(2), 111-116. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11031-006-9028-7

Elliot, A. J. (2008). Chapter 1: Approach and avoidance motivation. In A. J. Elliot (Ed.) Handbook of Approach and Avoidance Motivation (pp. 3-14). Psychology Press.

Harmon-Jones, E., Harmon-Jones, C., & Price, T. F. (2013). What is approach motivation? Emotion Review, 5(3), 291-295. https://doi.org/10.1177/1754073913477509

Sedikides, C., & Wildschut, T. (2022). Nostalgia across cultures. Journal of Pacific Rim Psychology, 16, 18344909221091649 1-16. https://doi.org/10.1177/18344909221091649

Simpson, J. A., & Weiner, E. S. C. (Eds.) (1989). Oxford English Dictionary (2nd ed., Vol XVI Soot-Styx). Clarendon Press.