| Abstract: | Intercorrelations among measures of various reactions to a large number of situations were factor analyzed and yielded five factors and corresponding measures. Three of the factors are positively intercorrelated and constitute various aspects of approach-avoidance to a situation: approach to the setting itself; approach to tasks in the setting, or desire to work; and approach to persons in the setting, or desire to affiliate. The positive correlation of a fourth, desire to drink alcohol factor with the approach factors suggests that, at least for our sample of average (nonalcoholic) subjects, drinking is more likely to occur in more preferred places. In the context of earlier findings on alcohol use, these results show the decision to drink and the specific choice of a place to drink to be similarly motivated: the consumption of moderate doses of alcohol yields a more preferred emotional state, as does the choice of a preferred setting in which to drink. Additional results relating to characteristic individual reactions showed that Stimulus Screening is useful for assessing differences in individual reactions to unpreferred situations (nonscreeners approach, work, and affiliate less than screeners in such settings). Further, a new questionnaire measure of Arousal Seeking Tendency reported in this study is useful for assessing differences in individual reactions to preferred situations (high-arousal seekers approach, work, and affiliate more than low-arousal seekers in preferred settings). |
