The conflict that occurs due to having to choose between two positive goals which are equally attractive at t… - ESIC Nursing Officer-7July 2024

ESIC Nursing Officer-7July 2024

Applied Psychology

Easy

Appeared in: ESIC Nursing Officer-7July 2024

Explanation

An Approach-approach conflict occurs when a person is faced with a choice between two or more equally attractive, positive goals.
The core of this conflict is that both options are desirable, but only one can be chosen.
An example is having to decide between two appealing vacation destinations or two excellent job offers.
This type of conflict typically generates the least amount of stress compared to other types, as the outcome will be positive regardless of the choice.

Option A: An approach-avoidance conflict involves a single goal that has both positive (approach) and negative (avoidance) aspects. The question describes a choice between two separate positive goals.
Option B: A double approach-avoidance conflict involves choosing between two goals, each of which has its own set of pros and cons. The question specifies that both goals are purely positive.
Option C: An avoidance-avoidance conflict involves choosing between two equally undesirable or negative options. The question describes choosing between positive goals.

Visual 1: Diagram: A flowchart illustrating the four types of motivational conflicts (Approach-Approach, Avoidance-Avoidance, Approach-Avoidance, Double Approach-Avoidance) with simple icons representing positive (+) and negative (-) goals. This helps visualize the forces at play in each type of conflict.

Clinical Relevance

Nursing practice connection: This is primarily an exam-oriented knowledge point with limited direct bedside application, so retain Types of motivational conflicts (Lewin's theory) as background academic context rather than a clinical decision trigger.
Nurses can recognize that patients often face difficult decisions about their health that can be framed as motivational conflicts (e.g., choosing between a surgery with risks and benefits vs. managing a condition with medication that has side effects).
Understanding these conflicts helps the nurse provide better support. For a patient in an approach-approach conflict (e.g., choosing between two effective but different treatment plans), the nurse can help by facilitating a discussion of personal values and preferences to make the choice easier.
What if a patient has to choose between an aggressive chemotherapy regimen (potential for cure but severe side effects) and palliative care (comfort but no cure)? This is a classic and difficult approach-avoidance conflict for the chemotherapy option and an avoidance-avoidance conflict when framed as choosing between suffering from treatment vs. suffering from the disease. The nurse's role is to ensure the patient has all information, understands the pros and cons of each path, and receives emotional and psychological support.

How to Approach the Question

First, break down the question stem to identify the key elements. The question describes a conflict involving 'two positive goals' that are 'equally attractive'.
Next, analyze the terms in the options. 'Approach' is generally used in psychology to signify moving toward a desirable stimulus, while 'avoidance' means moving away from an undesirable one.
Evaluate each option based on this understanding:
'Approach-approach' implies a choice between two desirable things.
'Avoidance-avoidance' implies a choice between two undesirable things.
'Approach-avoidance' implies a single thing has both desirable and undesirable qualities.

Concept Tested & Keywords

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