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This version was published on April 1, 2007
Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, Vol. 33, No. 4, 476-489 (2007)
DOI: 10.1177/0146167206296951
© 2007 Society for Personality and Social Psychology, Inc.

Distinguishing Between Learning and Motivation in Behavioral Tests of the Reinforcement Sensitivity Theory of Personality

Luke D. Smillie

Goldsmiths, University of London, l.smillie{at}gold.ac.uk

Len I. Dalgleish

University of Stirling

Chris J. Jackson

University of Queensland

According to Gray's (1973) Reinforcement Sensitivity Theory (RST), a Behavioral Inhibition System (BIS) and a Behavioral Activation System (BAS) mediate effects of goal conflict and reward on behavior. BIS functioning has been linked with individual differences in trait anxiety and BAS functioning with individual differences in trait impulsivity. In this article, it is argued that behavioral outputs of the BIS and BAS can be distinguished in terms of learning and motivation processes and that these can be operationalized using the Signal Detection Theory measures of response-sensitivity and response-bias. In Experiment 1, two measures of BIS-reactivity predicted increased response-sensitivity under goal conflict, whereas one measure of BAS-reactivity predicted increased response-sensitivity under reward. In Experiment 2, two measures of BIS-reactivity predicted response-bias under goal conflict, whereas a measure of BAS-reactivity predicted motivation response-bias under reward. In both experiments, impulsivity measures did not predict criteria for BAS-reactivity as traditionally predicted by RST.

Key Words: RST • learning • motivation • Signal Detection Theory • Gray


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