Ch 1&2 Flashcards
Define Motivation & Emotion
Motivation: impulses to behave in a manner that alter or sustain the course of life.
Emotion: internal sensations of individuals, often in response to physiological events.
What are the 4 pre-scientific ideas?
- Animism- attribution of spirits to activities of people, animals, plants and abstract concepts.
- Misattributions- heart and soul as the locus of motivation and emotion- “half-hearted”; stomach and gut- “butterflies in my stomach”
- Mythological- religion makes claims about human motivation. Authority figures go unquestioned.
- Subjective and inadequate data- introspection by few philosophers.
Early Influences by Descartes, Hobbes & Locke
Descartes- dualism; separation of mind and body. Pineal gland as the interface of mind and spirit.
Hobbes- hedonism; human nature inherently evil. We act in ways that bring pleasure or avoid pain.
Locke- tabula rasa; we are born as blank states. Experience alone shapes who we become.
What are the 8 steps of the scientific method?
Experimentation, measurement and quantification, statistical analysis, publication, skeptical evaluation, no unquestioned authorities, consensus seeking, replication
What are the 3 early scientific influences?
- Physiology- we have the same basic structure as other animals- highlights our mechanistic nature. Nervous system increasingly thought to be underlying motivation and emotion.
- Evolution & genetics- Darwin suggests to objectively measure body language to understand emotions; emotions are evolutionarily adaptive instincts. We see similar experiences across development and cultures.
- Experimental Psychology- we need to abandon philosophy and aim for objectivity with the scientific method. Influenced by Darwin; humans have one of the richest sets of instincts- our emotions. Watson and Skinner believed in the importance of experience in shaping human behaviour.
Basic dimensions of motivation and emotion are best understood through…
natural selection
What are the 6 modern influences of motivation and emotion?
Experimental psychology, biopsychology, evolutionary psychology, animal behaviour, neuroscience, neuroendocrinology
What are the 3 major dimensions of motivation?
- Survival- thirst, hunger, elimination, temperature regulation, pain and escape behaviour, fear and avoidance.
- Reproduction- courtship, mating displays, sexual behaviour, pregnancy, nurturance of offspring, favouring kin.
- Competition- threat and aggression, territoriality and dominance.
How is sourness associated with risk taking?
The hunger drive influences our motivation for risk-taking. Exploration is crucial to survival!
What is individual selection?
Good genes promote survival and reproduction. These genes will be passed to future generations. Some genes fail to promote survival and reproduction. These genes will be lost.
What is kin selection and nepotism?
Kin selection is the evolutionary process that drives an individual to incur a cost to themselves in order to benefit the reproductive fitness of relatives.
Nepotism is the tendency to favour relatives over others- this results from kin selection.
Coefficient of relatedness and Hamilton’s Rule
“r” is the degree of gene sharing among relatives. To determine r, multiply relatedness between generations (0.5 x 0.5 from grandparents to parents to children = r of 0.25)
Hamilton’s Rule = rB > C
This states that altruism is only evolutionarily favourable if the overall reproductive benefits outweigh the costs.
Example: Should I raise 5 siblings or one child of my own?
(0.5)5 > 0.5 Yes! Raising 5 siblings is best for reproductive fitness.
Inclusive fitness and Inclusive fitness maximization
Inclusive fitness combines direct and indirect fitness (individual reproductive success measured by number of offspring plus reproductive success of kin).
Inclusive fitness maximization involves pre-reproductive self-preservation, successful reproduction, and behaviour that helps kin survive and reproduce.
Sexual Selection (Inter- and intra-sexual)
Mate choice alters trait frequency over generations in the opposite sex.
Intersexual selection: one sex preferentially mates with the other sex when they have certain characteristics.
Intrasexual selection: members of the same sex compete with each other for access to members of the opposite sex.
Explain cuckoldry
Seen in many fish species. Parental male defends territory and attracts females to lay his eggs. Cuckolder male does neither of these things. He sneaks in and inseminates the egg in the parental male’s nest. The parental male often raises offspring that are not his own.
