APS
2026 APS Annual Convention · 2026
How Relational Mobility and Societal Competition Shape Approach-Avoidance Tendencies across Societies
- Kuan-Ju Huang
Graduate School of Human and Environmental Studies, Kyoto University - Yen-Ling Chen
National Taiwan University
Abstract
We introduce a socioecological framework explaining how approach and avoidance tendencies vary across societies. Across four studies, we show that social ecologies with greater freedom in relationships (relational mobility) and stronger competitive pressure to stand out (societal competition) foster stronger approach than avoidance tendencies.