Approach-approach conflict (Hergenhahn)
Definition:
Tension resulting from the simultaneous attraction to two goals.
Example:
At a movie theatre complex, you feel anxious over the decision between seeing two shows that are about to start, both of which received excellent reviews.
Background:
Kurt Lewin (1890-1947) was the first psychologist to experimentally investigate conflict. He concentrated on three types: approach-approach, avoidance-avoidance, and approach-avoidance. In an approach-approach conflict, a person experiences tension as the result of being simultaneously attracted to two goals.
Further Reading:
Concise Medical Dictionary (1998). Conflict. [On-line] Available: http://www.xrefer.com/entry/123155
Lewin, K. (1935). A dynamic theory of personality. New York: McGraw-Hill.
McGraw-Hill Companies. (2001). Conflict. [On-line] Available: http://www.dushkin.com/connectext/psy/ch12/conflict.mhtml
Related Terms:
Approach-avoidance conflict (Hergenhahn)
Avoidance-avoidance conflict (Hergenhahn)
Lewin, Kurt (1890 - 1947)
Self-Instructional Resource:
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