title: Approach and avoidance social motives and goals.
abstract: It was predicted that approach social motives and goals would be linked to outcomes characterized by the presence of positive social features, and avoidance social motives and goals would be linked to outcomes characterized by the presence of negative social features and that the link between approach motives and outcomes would be mediated by different processes than the link between avoidance motives and outcomes. These hypotheses were examined in three studies (two of them longitudinal) that measured participants' dispositional social motives, short-term social goals, and social outcomes (e.g., loneliness). Approach motives and goals were reliably associated with less loneliness and more satisfaction with social bonds, whereas avoidance motives and goals were reliably associated with more loneliness, negative social attitudes, and relationship insecurity. Results also suggested that these associations were mediated by different processes. Implications for the conceptualization of close relationships along these two dimensions are discussed.
authors.affiliation: UCLA Psychology Department, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095-1563, USA. gable@psych.ucla.edu
authors.forename: Shelly L
authors.initials: SL
authors.lastname: Gable
mesh_terms: D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000328:Adult; D001007:Anxiety / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007206:Individuality; D007398:Interpersonal Relations; D008132:Loneliness / Q000523:psychology*; D008297:Male; D026684:Personal Autonomy; D010549:Personal Satisfaction; D010555:Personality Inventory; D012929:Psychological Distance; D012649:Self Concept; D012919:Social Behavior; D012931:Social Environment; D013334:Students / Q000523:psychology