In this concluding piece, we identify and discuss various aspects of convergence and, to a
lesser degree, divergence in the ideas expressed in the contributions to this special section …

Researchers frequently infer motivational states of approach and avoidance from observed
behavior. These motivational states are then used to explain a propensity to approach or …

Of the many conceptual distinctions present in psychology today, the approach-avoidance
distinction stands out as one of, if not the, most fundamental and basic. The distinction …

The field of cognition and emotion has grown considerably over the past 30 years, with an
increased emphasis on the relationships between emotional and motivational components …

Two core motivational systems have been conceptualized as underlying emotion and
behavior. The approach system drives the organism toward stimuli or events in the …

The concepts of motivation and emotion have been used across cultures and historical time
periods to help explain human behavior. But motivation and emotion often are assigned to …

Abstract Approach motivation is the energization of behavior by, or the direction of behavior
toward, positive stimuli (objects, events, possibilities), whereas avoidance motivation is the …

Emotions are inextricably interwoven with cognitions. To the extent that we are willing to be
informed by introspections, it is clear that emotions pervade our conscious life, and that there …

What motivates individuals to regulate their emotions? One answer, which has been
highlighted in emotion-regulation research, is that individuals are motivated by short-term …

We discuss some research that has examined approach motivational urges and how this
research clarifies the definition of approach motivation. Our research and that of others have …