We investigate collision-induced Lambda-doublet transitions in a system similar to NO+Ar, based on a semiclassical model in which nuclear motion is treated classically and electronic motion quantum mechanically. We present a picture of this process by monitoring [Lambda], the expectation value of the projection of electronic orbital-angular momentum onto the molecular NO axis, over the duration of the collision. In a typical collision, the interaction with Ar would cause the electronic orbital-angular momentum to precess about the rotating NO-Ar vector. However, since this angular momentum is locked tightly to the diatomic axis, it is restricted to oscillation along this axis. This oscillation leads to transitions between Lambda-doublet states. In addition to providing this physical picture of the collision process, we calculate an alignment effect of 1.2 for a hypothetical three-vector correlation experiment, neglecting spin. (C) 1997 American Institute of Physics.