approach gradient

n. The strength of the tendency to move toward a desired goal, which varies with distance to the goal. Thus being close to a goal leads to greater tendency to move toward it while being far away from the goal leads to a lesser tendency to move toward it. The approach gradient tends to be less steep than the avoidance gradient so that positive goals motivate action at a greater distance from the goal but tend to be abandoned at closer distances if there is also an avoidance motive associated with the goal.