8- Major Motivation Theories Flashcards
What is motivation?
What initiates, directs, and maintains our behaviours
Why can’t a single theory account for all aspects of motivation?
There are so many competing factors involved
4 factors involved in motivation
Biological, cognitive, social, environmental
What do instinct theories believe that behaviour is motivated by?
By instinct that is innate and are activated by environmental stimuli
How does Maslow’s hierarchy of needs view motivation?
Different motives compete- basic survival needs need to be satisfied first before we are motivated to satisfy higher-level needs
How is behaviour motivated according to arousal theory?
By the need to achieve optimum levels of arousal
Where does motivation originate from according to drive-reduction theory?
From biological needs to maintain the body in a state of balance or equilibrium
How is behaviour motivated by incentive theory?
By internal and external incentives or rewards
What does instinct theory suggest?
That instincts explain all human behaviours
What are the 3 factors of instincts in instinct theory?
Unlearned, innate, automatic
How many different instincts did McDougall propose?
18
What does McDougall suggest that instincts cause?
Us to respond in particular ways to a specific stimulus
What does McDougall say that instincts trigger?
Behaviours that aid in survival
What are some examples of instinctive behaviours in humans?
Many reflexes
Why can’t instincts explain all behaviours?
They are difficult to test
Is Maslow’s hierarchy of needs linear?
No
Which two needs are the only ones that are hierarchical according to research?
Only the 2 lowest needs
How are humans motivated according to Maslow’s hierarchy of needs?
By a complex array of needs
How does Maslow’s hierarchy of needs believe that we are motivated?
To reach self-actualisation
2 limitations of Maslow’s hierarchy of needs
Hard to test, and culturally specific
What does optimal arousal theory believe that the aim of motivation is?
To maintain an optimum level of arousal
What does optimal arousal theory believe that behaviour is in response to?
A need to raise or lower arousal needs
What are 3 things you might do to raise arousal levels?
Sports, socialise, watch an action film
What are 2 things that you might do to lower arousal levels?
Read a book, take a bath
What differences are there in the ‘optimal’ arousal level?
Individual
What levels of arousal produces best results on a task?
Optimal
How do arousal levels need to be optimal for performance?
Increased arousal can help improve performance, but only up to a certain point
Which tasks are more affected more by non-optimal levels of arousal?
Complex tasks
What are the 2 primary arousal systems?
Autonomic nervous system and cortical arousal system
Which system arouses the body?
Autonomic nervous system
Which system arouses the brain?
Cortical arousal system
What does drive reduction theory believe motivation is caused by?
Physiological needs create drives which motivates us to satisfy the need
What is homeostasis?
Maintenance of a steady internal state
What does drive reduction theory see our survival depending on?
Our ability to maintain internal states
What are the 3 major constituents of foods?
Carbohydrates, fats, and proteins
What do carbohydrates, fats, and proteins serve as for the human body?
Fuel molecules
What is the main energy source in the brain?
Glucose
How is glucose used by cells?
After being absorbed into the bloodstream
What 3 forms is energy stored in the body?
Fat, glycogen, protein
What is the body’s preferred form of storage?
Fat
Where is glycogen made and stored primarily?
In liver and muscle
How is glycogen used?
To maintain blood sugar levels
When is protein broken down and used for energy?
When other stores are depleted
What does the glucostatic hypothesis believe?
Drive is created by a need to maintain blood glucose and glycogen levels
What is caused by a drop in blood glucose levels?
Increased appetite and triggers eating
When do insulin levels increase?
During/after a meal
What does insulin allow?
Cells to make use of glucose
What does insulin promote?
Storage of excess glucose as glycogen
Where is insulin produced?
In the pancreas
When is insulin released?
When we eat and blood sugar levels rise
How does insulin act?
As an appetite suppressant
When does hunger return?
As insulin levels decrease
What is the physiological aim of drive reduction?
Homeostasis
What does the lipostatic hypothesis believe?
Level of body fat influences regulation of food consumption to maintain a stable body weight
What 2 hormones are involved with the lipostatic hypothesis?
Leptin and ghrelin
What does leptin do to appetite?
Suppresses it
How is leptin produced?
By fat, stomach and other organs
What are leptin levels positively correlated with?
The amount of body fat mass
What does not influence leptin secretion?
Meal pattens
When do leptin levels peak?
At midnight and early morning
What is ghrelin and how is it produced?
A peptide hormone produced by the stomach
How is ghrelin influenced?
By body fat levels
When does ghrelin increase?
Between meals
What does a ghrelin injection cause?
More food to be consumed
What does ghrelin do to appetite?
Stimulates it
What 4 things happen after a meal?
- Rise of glucose levels
- Rise of insulin
- Fall in ghrelin
- No effect on leptin
What many functions does the hypothalamus perform?
Several regulatory functions
What is the hypothalamus responsible for?
Autonomic nervous system including metabolic processes
What does the hypothalamus contain?
Receptors for many peptide hormones
What evidence for the hypothalamus regulating appetite and feeding behaviours did Hetherington & Ranson provide?
Removal of rat lateral hypothalamus causes diminished appetite for food, and electrical stimulation of the lateral hypothalamus causes a rat to feed
What did Hetherington and Ranson’s study suggest?
The hypothalamus acts as a ‘hunger centre’ and activation prompts us to eat
What does Stellar’s centre model suggest?
A balance of activity between the lateral ventromedial hypothalamus controls eating
3 things that lesions to the hypothalamus can cause
- Severe motor disturbances
- Lack of responsiveness to sensory input
- Damage to nearby fibres of passage important for sensory and reward processing
What is suggested by a lack of responsiveness to sensory input from lateral hypothalamus lesions?
Suggests it has a much larger role in motivation, not just motivation for eating
What processes is the hypothalamus and important control centre for?
Feeding and metabolism
What does the hypothalamus receive?
Sensory information from stomach/intestines
What is the hypothalamus sensitive to?
Leptin/ghrelin/insulin
How can the hypothalamus regulate metabolism?
Via the autonomic nervous system
2 areas that the hypothalamus outputs to
Nucleus accumbens and orbitofrontal cortex
How does the hypothalamus act like a thermostat?
By regulating hunger and metabolism
What does the set point theory believe will happen if we fall below ‘ideal’ weight?
Our body will increase hunger and decrease energy expenditure
What is Basic Metabolic Rate?
Rate the body burns calories while at rest
What happens if we go above our set point?
Hypothalamus tells us to stop eating and raises our metabolic rate to burn any excess food
What does set point likely relate to?
Component of our body composition rather than body weight
Why might set point theory be an oversimplified model?
Other factors can influence body weight and body composition
How can people lower setpoint?
Through diet and exercise changes
What is a settling point?
A dynamic equilibrium- interaction of biological and environmental factors
How does drive reduction theory say we are motivated to act in a certain way?
Because of a physiological need to maintain homeostasis
How does the hypothalamus act?
To regulate our eating behaviour and metabolic rate to maintain a stable body weight
