Conflicts of motivations

Three main types of conflict exists:

• Approach-avoidance. One alternative has both positive consequences (that one wishes to seek out) and negative consequences (that one wants to avoid). For example, eating a large banana split is an enjoyable experience ("approach"), but is contains a lot of calories ("avoidance") and may make one feel ill later (another avoidance).
• Approach-approach. A consumer wants to do two incompatible things at the same time. A classic example is "Rainman’s" desire both to stay with his brother and stay at the institution. Another example is a consumer who only has one week’s vacation but wants equally to go to Hawaii and Greenland, but has time and money only for one of the two.
• Avoidance-avoidance. A consumer does not want to go for either of two alternatives, but must choose the lesser of two evils. For example, the consumer does not want to pay for car insurance, but does not want to get into an accident or get caught by the police without it. A "work ethic disadvantaged" student does not want to study, but does not want to fail his or her courses, either.