Recalling fearful memories modifies approach and avoidance behavior based on spatial context.

Abstract

Motor responses are more efficient when there is a match (or congruency) between the motivational properties of an emotional state and the distance altering characteristics of the movement being executed to the emotion-eliciting stimulus. However, the role of spatial context in shaping motivational orientations to approach and avoid, particularly during whole-body movement tasks, remains less understood. We sought to narrow this knowledge gap by investigating whether an emotion (fear) relived from a previous experience affected movement initiation based on whether motor responses were implicitly coded as approach (i.e., incongruent) or avoidance (i.e., congruent) as per the location of the imagined threat stimulus. Participants (N = 29) completed a tone-initiated forward gait initiation task after recalling a previous fearful experience in which the stimulus from their memory was located either in front (incongruent) or behind (congruent) them. Facilitation versus inhibition of motor responses was indexed by reaction time (RT), displacement and velocity of postural movements prior to stepping, and step kinematics. Analyses revealed that participants initiating forward gait after recalling a fearful experience in which the fearful stimulus was congruent to the movement direction expedited RTs, greater displacement and velocity of anticipatory postural responses, and greater step length and velocity. Results provide support for the theoretical position that motivational orientations to approach and avoid are contextualized based on affective congruency, which includes the spatial orientation of real or imagined emotional stimuli.

Walking (and talking) the plank: dual-task performance costs in a virtual balance-threatening environment

“…Extemporaneous speech topics, while familiar and accessible to participants, may possess some inherent affective content (e.g., a pleasant memory of time spent with a friend, vividness of the imagery elicited by the memory, etc.). Researchers should therefore aim to explore the affective context of the speech monologue to potentially control for confounds from affect-induced changes in gait behavior (Fawver et al 2014 , 2022 ). Additionally, measuring lexical complexity and lexical ‘stageholders’ like filled pauses in extemporaneous speech should increase measurement sensitivity (Davie et al 2012 ).…”

Facial expression recognition is modulated by approach–avoidance behavior

“…Previous studies wherein facial expression recognition affected approach–avoidance behavior demonstrated that compared to seeing a happy facial expression, seeing an angry expression results in the individual maintaining a larger interpersonal distance from another [2,3] and a slower approach [1]. Further, other studies have suggested a fast avoidance response to threats [12–14,16,28]. These studies support the association between anger and avoidance, indicating that the purpose is maintaining distance from the threatening other.…”

Walking (and talking) the plank: Dual-task performance costs in a virtual balance-threatening environment

“…In future studies, researchers should explore the affective context of the speech monologue to potentially control for confounds from affect-induced changes in gait behavior. 67,68 Finally, measuring lexical complexity and lexical 'stageholders' like filled pauses in extemporaneous speech should be included in future studies. 69…”