What do we mean when we say "a goal has valence"?

That a goal has valence means that it can be positive or negative. A positively valued goal is one toward which consumers direct their behaviour; they are motivated to approach the goal and will seek out products that will be instrumental in attaining it. However, not all behaviour is motivated by the desire to approach a goal. As we saw in Chapter 3, sometimes consumers are motivated to avoid a negative outcome. They will structure their purchases or consumption activities to reduce the chances of attaining this end result. For example, many consumers work hard to avoid rejection, an avoidance goal. They will stay away from products that they associate with social disapproval. Products such as deodorants and mouthwash frequently rely upon consumers' avoidance motivation by depicting the onerous social consequences of underarm odour or bad breath.