BEHAVIOURAL FEEDBACK TO RISK VARIATION ENSUES FROM UNSATISFACTORY APPETENCY

For a long time, the phenomenon of behavioral feedback to risk variation, especially to highway safety measures, has been the subject of numerous papers and debates. It has been advanced that human behavior ensues from the interaction between two motivational systems: 1) appetency, governed by a homeostatic mechanism wherein the individual seeks to satisfy needs; and 2) aversion, guided by the principle of zero aversion, whereby the individual seeks to avoid aversive stimuli. When an individual considers the possibility of undertaking an action, he weighs the advantages (appetency) and the disadvantages (aversion). If the appetency proves to be stronger than the aversion, the action is completed and the individual accepts the risk associated with it. In this article, it is suggested that the behavioral feedback following a variation in the risk ensues from unsatisfied appetency. If the unsatisfied appetency is nil, a drop in the aversive constraint will not cause any behavioral feedback. On the other hand, if there is an unsatisfied appetency, a drop in the aversive constraint will bring about behavioral feedback in proportion to the level of unsatisfied appetency. Cases in which behavioral feedback is likely to arise and the implications for public policy-making are briefly discussed.

  • Availability:
  • Corporate Authors:

    Elsevier

    The Boulevard, Langford Lane
    Kidlington, Oxford  United Kingdom  OX5 1GB
  • Authors:
    • Dussault, C
  • Publication Date: 1996-7

Language

  • English

Media Info

Subject/Index Terms

Filing Info

  • Accession Number: 00726201
  • Record Type: Publication
  • Report/Paper Numbers: HS-042 377
  • Files: HSL, TRIS
  • Created Date: Sep 18 1996 12:00AM