10.5 A double motivation conflict.
A plausible theory describes the conflict of motivations that explains the hesitation before and during a moment of stuttering (J.Sheehan 1970). When the moment is there to speak, the speaker prepares for the goal: go forward with speaking. The tendency to begin speaking increases as the goal approaches. There is however interference by a tendency to avoid taking the floor. This inclination is fed from a pool of frustrating experiences that induce fear of sounds, words or of speaking altogether. Because of the agonistic nature of the experience (it is a response to flee or to freeze) the tendency to avoid rises sharply as the feared goal approaches. When in the end avoidance wins, the system flips to a new goal: to freeze and stop speaking. As the goal to stop speaking is approached, fear inducing stimuli diminish and the tendency to stop speaking is rewarded. The tendency to stop speaking increases as the stutterer approaches this goal. However the social disapproval of not speaking interferes with reaching that goal. Avoidance of being silent gains in strength as the goal to stop speaking comes closer. When at last the tendency to avoid silence prevails, the system flips back to: go forward with speaking. From there the conflict will repeat itself. The whole episode, described in 200 words, has evolved in only 100 msec. A double avoidance conflict such as this can explain the seemingly endless series of sound repetitions that some stutterers engage in.