Action tendency is a psychological term in behavioral science which refers to an individual's urge to carry out a particular behavior, particularly as a component of emotion. In behavioral science, an individual's emotions direct their response to current circumstances or relationships; thus, the action tendency, as a constituent factor of the individual's overall emotional response, is a temporary and immediate impulse.[1] [2]
Action tendency is the motivational component of emotional decision making which is responsible for the preparation and direction of motor responses. Under the emotional framework, motivation can be thought of as the state of readiness to engage in a certain action with the goal of achieving a desired result. The action tendency is distinct from cognitive, physiological, and expressive components, which likewise determine an individual's behavior.[3] [4] [5]
Because action tendency is, essentially, an immediate suggestion for a response in a particular set of circumstances, it is informed by an individual's set of preferences at the current point in time, which are supplied elsewhere within the emotion. Action tendency, therefore, changes as an individual moves between emotional states, and is modified by the individual's present cognitive and physiological abilities.[6]
Several theories and experiments support the notion that action tendencies can be primed to produce a desired result before the onset of emotion. In 2010, an experiment which trained addicts to either approach or avoid alcohol found that the subjects' action tendency towards alcohol was positively affected in accordance with the training condition.[7]
Perceived action tendency may also play a role in social conditioning and self-esteem which is observable at an early developmental stage. In 1979, experimental data demonstrated that children who self-reported more frequent tendencies towards assertiveness and aggression experienced poor self-image and negative social stigma. These findings suggest that the observation of behavioral tendencies by oneself or others plays a significant role in the construction of identity.[8]