Abstract: Emotional information helps human beings produce corresponding responses: approaching or avoiding. Recently psychologists are more and more interested in the effect and mechanism of emotion on approach and avoidance response. Regardless of the disparity in the operational definitions of approach and avoidance, previous studies demonstrated that the compatibility effect of approaching the positive and avoiding the negative -- the positive facilitated compatible approach response and the negative facilitated avoidance response. Motivational orientation theory claims this facilitation is automatic but event coding theory claims the facilitation is dependent on explicit valence evaluation. Evidences supported the two theories were demonstrated and directions of future work were also discussed.

Key words: emotion, approach/avoidance, compatibility effect, motivational orientation, event coding