Consequence-Based Approach-Avoidance Training: A New and Improved Method for Changing Behavior
Pieter Van Dessel, Sean Hughes, Jan De Houwer
Psychological Science · 2018 · Volume 29 · Issue 12
Abstract
The repeated performance of approach or avoidance actions in response to specific stimuli (e.g., alcoholic drinks) is often considered a most promising type of cognitive-bias modification that can reduce unwanted behavior (e.g., alcohol consumption). Unfortunately, approach-avoidance training sometimes fails to produce desired outcomes (e.g., in the context of unhealthy eating). We introduce a novel training task in which approach-avoidance actions are followed by affective consequences. Four experiments (total N = 1,547) found stronger changes in voluntary approach-avoidance behavior, implicit and explicit evaluations, and consumer choices for consequence-based approach-avoidance training in the food domain. Moreover, this novel type of training reduced self-reported unhealthy eating behavior after a 24-hr delay and unhealthy snacking in a taste test. Our results contrast with dominant (association-formation) accounts of the effects of approach-avoidance training and support an inferential explanation. They further suggest that consequence-based approach-avoidance training, and inference training more generally, holds promise for the treatment of clinical behavior.
Keywords
approach-avoidance training, consequences, unhealthy food consumption, cognitive-bias modification, inferential theory, open data, open materials, preregistered
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