Beyond craving: Appetitive desire as a motivational antecedent of goal-directed action intentions

Self-regulation is generally considered a process of constraining appetitive desire motivation toward goal-inconsistent objects and actions through rationality-based (volitive) motivation. The predominant temptation-focused view of appetitive desire focuses on cravings and self-control dilemmas, overlooking the beneficial role of appetitive desire in motivating many types of goal-directed action intentions. We extend this line of research based in the philosophy of action theoretical perspective by proposing that appetitive desire is broader than cravings and it positively influences goal-consistent action intentions by strengthening volitive desire motivation. Appetitive desire toward goal means containing pleasurable features provides reasons for enacting goal-consistent actions, which energizes intention formation through volitive desire. Thus, appetitive desire often plays an instrumental rather than detrimental motivational role in reasoned action toward goal pursuit. Three studies, one measurement-based and two experimental, involving different goal-directed action contexts, demonstrate that goal means associated with high (vs. low) appetitive desire result in greater volitive desire, which strengthens intentions to enact the goal means. Our results contribute to an expanded understanding of appetitive desire, beyond craving and temptation, as a positive antecedent in the causal sequences of appetitive desire -> volitive desire -> intentions in the context of consumer goal pursuit.