Two terms used throughout the need discussions are defined below:

Need Conflicts: Within a particular dimension some needs conflict with each other because they evoke incompatible behavior if they are expressed synchronically (simultaneously). For example, the aggression and nurturance needs evoke incompatible behavior in all three dimensions. Needs that conflict in a particular dimension are located in opposite areas of that dimension (see Target Model) indicating that they are not normally activated synchronically in that dimension.

Mal Adaptive Need Fusion: Needs that normally produce conflicting behavior when synchronically evoked in a particular dimension are sometimes combined or fused despite resulting conflicts. Mal adaptive fusion creates frustrations and problems. For example, in the combative dimension, when the aggression and succorance needs are synchronically activated, the fused behavioral expression may take the form of whining and complaining that does not effectively express either the aggression need or the succorance need.

The Blame Avoidance Need
(The need to avoid doing things that might arouse criticism or blame)

The blame avoidance need always relates to people since blame and punishment are always administered by people. In this respect, the blame avoidance need differs from the harm avoidance need. Harm can come from other sources besides people (e.g., falling, being burned, auto accidents, etc.) A third avoidance need (inferiority avoidance) also differs from the desire to avoid blame. Blame hurts by making us feel guilty and morally bad. Feeling inferior carries more of a feeling of shame, humiliation, and disgrace.

Despite the fact that the blame avoidance and harm avoidance needs have different meanings, the two needs are closely associated and related to each other by people. This is because primitive forms of punishment (spanking, slapping, beating) are painful and harmful. Also, we are often blamed or punished for doing dangerous things as when parents use the threat of blame or punishment to keep children from playing with matches or running into the street. The blame avoidance need is probably derived from the more basic harm avoidance need. We all are born with a need to avoid pain and harm but blame avoidance develops later and people vary more in the strength of their blame avoidance need, probably depending on their early learning experiences with punishment and disapproval. Blame and harm avoidance are frequently associated when punishment and disapproval are used to inhibit dangerous or undesirable behavior such as over eating, alcohol and drug abuse, reckless driving, aggressiveness etc.

As with all needs, it is important to understand the difference between the need and the emotional reaction to satisfaction or frustration of the need. Guilt is the emotional reaction to feeling blamed. We have to feel that blame is justified to feel guilty although we still usually want to avoid blame because of its other negative effects. When we feel blameless we have a positive emotional reaction of relief or joy (as when a jury pronounces us "not guilty"). Our conscience or "super ego" is considered the psychic organ that processes the blame avoidance need, especially with regard to self-blame.

Blame avoidance is oriented toward the future. To avoid blame we must b possible bad or negative consequences of something we might do.

The Function of the Blame Avoidance Need

The primary function of the blame avoidance need is to provide us with internal controls over our antisocial combative and dangerous competitive impulses. It helps us inhibit such impulses without the presence of an authority figure (such as a policeman). Thus, the blame avoidance need makes us more considerate of and responsive to the needs of others and these sensitivities are necessary for social organization.

Problems Related to the Blame Avoidance Need

People with poorly developed blame avoidance needs tend to act out antisocial impulses and as a result often suffer legal or social punishment and/or ostracism. Unsuccessful criminals and people with certain types of personality disorders are examples. At the other extreme, an over emphasis on avoiding blame can result in such problems as perfectionism, hyper sensitivity to criticism, over-conformity, and unrealistic anxiety, guilt, and depression.

Poor judgment about when it is appropriate to care about the blame of others is a strong contributing cause of blame avoidance problems. Blame avoidance judgment problems frequently develop from childhood experiences with aggressively critical and blaming parents or other authority figures. The problems are compounded when blame is inconsistent, unpredictable, and unreasonable. In such an environment, the child cannot learn which behavior will be punished and which will be ignored or indulged. To cope with the anxiety produced by such unpredictability, the child deadens its sensitivity to blame and punishment, or withdraws physically or psychologically, or develops peculiar and mal adaptive strategies to cope with blame. Deadening sensitivity to blame can result in sociopathic "incorrigible" acting-out behavior, a lifestyle of indifference to social pressures, and a pathological lack of remorse, regret, or guilt. Withdrawal can take the form of passivity, timidity, and submissiveness, with resultant poor judgment about the intentions of others.

There are a number of special strategies used to avoid blame. One strategy is sometimes successful in combative and competitive situations though it impairs interpersonal relations. This strategy calls for chronic belligerence aimed at making people afraid to criticize or blame the aggressive blame avoider. Another strategy is to develop an obsessive-compulsive reaction ("If I am perfect and always have everything in order, I can predict and control all events and thus avoid blame and disapproval.") A third strategy has been described by Andras Angyal as the noncommittal lifestyle. The implicit beliefs for this strategy may be stated as: "If I don't make any commitments I can't be blamed if things turn out badly because it was not my responsibility." The obsessive-compulsive reaction and the noncommittal lifestyle develop from similar beliefs. These beliefs differ in that obsessive-compulsiveness is an attempt to avoid blame by ordering and controlling whereas the noncommittal person tries to avoid blame by refusing to make decisions and thus avoid responsibility. Some people manage to combine and use all three of the above strategies.

Some blame avoidance problems develop because of unusually permissive and childhood environments. It comes as a real shock to people with this background when they meet the ordinary blame and criticism of the world outside their home. Perfectionism is another type of blame avoidance problem, especially among gifted people who have been excessively indoctrinated with the fear of blame and criticism. Obsessive self blaming for real or fancied transgressions produces guilt and depression without much corrective benefit. Blame avoidance is one of the principle motives involved in negative anxiety producing fantasies.

As indicated in the above examples, problems with the blame avoidance need are almost always a root cause of obsessive-compulsive reactions.

Dimension Locations of the Blame Avoidance Need

In the combative dimension, the blame avoidance need is normally located in the non combative area. The desire to avoid blame, criticism, and punishment is highly opposed to combative behavior. In a combative situation we may choose to be combative or to avoid blame but we usually can not choose to do both at the same time. Most laws are aimed at controlling combativeness through punishment and blame. Thus, the desire to avoid blame and punishment limits and helps control illegal and unwise combative impulses.

The blame avoidance need is normally located near the midpoint of the personal dimension. This means that the need to avoid blame and disapproval is fairly neutral with regard to both personal and impersonal interactions. Good personal relationships are not threatened by criticism and efforts to resolve personal conflicts in an impersonal way are not inhibited by fear of blame or disapproval.

The blame avoidance need is normally located toward the periphery of the the noncompetitive area of the competitive dimension. In this extreme peripheral location, the need to avoid blame is strongly opposed to competitive activity, particularly activities involving leadership and recognition. Those considering involvement in a competitive activity must make clear and definite choices between commitment to or withdrawal from participation when there is risk of strong disapproval or punishment if they fail. A politician's choice between support or opposition to a promising but risky proposal is an example of the conflict between commitment to or withdrawal from competition.

Blame Avoidance Dislocated in the Combative Area of the Combative Dimension

When the blame avoidance need is dislocated in the combative area, conflicts between desires to engage in a conflict and fear of disapproval for doing so may occur. When a person has an unusual association between the blame avoidance and the combative needs, they may have difficulty choosing between these alternatives and may feel guilty for being assertive even when assertiveness is appropriate. Sometimes the blame avoidance need mal adaptively fuses with combative needs so that the person tries to prevent criticism and disapproval by being defensive, rejecting, and aggressive. In extreme cases, such mal adaptive fusion produces antisocial behavior.

Blame Avoidance Located Toward the Periphery of the Non Combative Area of the Combative Dimension

The blame avoidance need is normally located in the mid zone of the non combative area. In this location, its inhibiting effect on combativeness is strong but not extreme. When it is in an extremely peripheral location, however, its inhibiting power is too strong. When it is activated, it closes out all possibilities for normal assertiveness. On the other hand, when the combative needs are activated, the blame avoidance need is too distant to exert any moderating control so that combativeness is not sufficiently controlled by fear of disapproval.

Blame Avoidance Dislocated in the Personal Area of the Personal Dimension

When the blame avoidance need is dislocated in the personal area of the personal dimension, it indicates a conflict between desires to be spontaneous and free in interpersonal relationships and too much concern about criticism and disapproval from friends and loved ones. In some cases, blame avoidance mal adaptively fuses with personal needs so that the person tries to avoid disapproval by inappropriate friendliness.

Blame Avoidance Dislocated in the Impersonal Area of the Personal Dimension

When the blame avoidance need is dislocated in the impersonal area of the personal dimension, it may indicate that efforts to rationally resolve conflicts between friends and loved ones are conflicted and inhibited by fears of disapproval for being frank and candid about differences. It may also mean that the person is overly sensitive when attempts are made to rationally resolve personal conflicts.

Blame Avoidance Dislocated in the Competitive Area of the Competitive Dimension

When the blame avoidance need is dislocated in the competitive area it conflicts with efforts to learn, display skills and knowledge, seek recognition, and assert competitive leadership. The person has difficulty deciding between involvement or withdrawal from competitive challenges because of sensitivity to criticism. Sometimes the blame avoidance need mal adaptively fuses with competitive needs causing the person to try to avoid disapproval by inappropriate displays of knowledge and skills.

Blame Avoidance Located Toward the Periphery of the Noncompetitive Area of the Competitive Dimension

The blame avoidance need is normally located toward the periphery of the noncompetitive area but sometimes (relative to other needs) it is located even further toward the periphery. This location may indicate an "all or nothing" attitude about competition and blame. One either competes with total disregard for criticism and disapproval or one withdraws completely from competition for fear of even slight disapproval for poor performance.