Facilitation of arm movements by their outcome desirability

Aue, Tatjana; Scherer, Klaus R. (2013). Facilitation of arm movements by their outcome desirability. Social science information, 52(3), pp. 471-485. Sage 10.1177/0539018413483938

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A large body of research suggests arm extension and arm flexion to be indicators of automatically generated withdrawal and approach motivation, respectively. However, such a view has not remained unchallenged. Recent research suggests that the motivational significance of arm movements may be largely context dependent. The aim of this research was to demonstrate that an essential facilitating context factor for arm movements relies on the desirability of their expected outcomes. Participants viewed negative and positive stimulus material (pictures and words) and were asked to concurrently perform either an arm extension or an arm flexion. Arm movements were embedded in a meaningful context, leading to a stimulus size decrease or increase; and thus giving the visual illusion of withdrawing from the stimulus or approaching it. Results show that the significance of arm movements is indeed influenced by the desirability of their respective effects.

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