Enactment of approach and avoidance behavior influences the scope of perceptual and conceptual attention

摘要: Abstract In this study, we tested the hypothesis, derived from theorizing of Derryberry and Tucker (1994) , that mere enactment approach or avoidance behavior, without concomitant pursuit personal goals, can independently moderate scope (i.e., breadth narrowness) attention on both perceptual conceptual levels. Specifically, predicted behavior would broaden attentional scope, engendering a focus upon global structure facilitating access to mental representations with lower priori accessibility, whereas constrict local details “choking off” accessibility. These hypotheses were borne out in three experiments, using two different manipulations vs. actions.