Chapter 11 Flashcards
What is motivation?
process that influences the direction, persistence and vigor of goal-directed behavior (wants/needs)
food and sex are most powerful motivations
at least 3 ways used to try and explain motivation
What is motivation through instinct?
inherited predisposition to behave in predictable ways
genetic bias: survival advantage with traits passed through genes
little evidence to support it
why greedy? because greed is an instinct (circular logic)
What is motivation through homeostasis/drive?
drive theory
disruptions of homeostasis lead to drives
regulate hunger, thirst, weight, body temperature, sleep
ultimate goal of behavior is to reduce drive
theory is less influential than before
people watch scary movies and fast (opposite to reducing drive)
What is motivation through incentives/expectancy?
we are motivated by positive (external and internal) goals
intrinsic motivation: master knowledge, doing for fun
extrinsic motivation: get good grades, doing for $
cognitive perspective: motivation equals expectancy and incentive value, expectation to receive reward, value places in reward
What is Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs?
primary: biological, deficiency needs
secondary: psychological, growth needs, achieved after primary needs are met
critiques: why endure torture, why starve oneself, etc.? what does “self-actualization” mean?
What is Self-Determination Theory?
most fulfilled if three needs are met
- Competence: need to master and perfect skills, exploratory and growth
- Autonomy: realize freedom of choice without outside interference
- Relatedness: form meaningful bonds with others, free to be yourself
What is feeding?
necessary: provide body with energy for basal metabolism, hunger is not directly linked to immediate energy needs
but also pleasurable, often continue eating despite energy needs being met
What is the physiology of hunger?
metabolism: body’s rate of energy utilization
basal metabolism: 2/3 of the energy
body monitors both short and long term signals
set point: internal physiological standard in which body fat is regulated
How is hunger and eating regulated?
stomach contractions: still hungry with stomach removal or loss of nerves
glucostatic theory: low blood glucose = hunger, blood glucose variable, doesn’t always mirror feeding
hormones (peptides): glucose, ghrelin, and neuropeptide Y increase hunger, CCK and leptin decrease hunger
What are brain mechanisms?
various structures within the hypothalamus play a role in regulating: hunger, thirst, sexual arousal, body temperature
lateral hypothalamus (LH): may be involved in stimulating eating
ventromedial hypothalamus (VMH): may influence stopping eating
paraventricular nucleus (PVN): various neurotransmitters, integrate short term and long term signals
What are the psychological aspects of hunger?
eating is positively reinforced by good tastes and negatively forced by hunger reduction
expectations that eating will be pleasurable and will reduce hunger stimulate eating
beliefs, memories, and attitudes about food can also affect eating
What are the differences in perceptions of size between men and women?
women especially engage in food restriction: conform to social norms and restore self-esteem
women overestimate how thin they think they should be, and mean overestimate how bulky they think they should be
objectification theory: body is object, increase anxiety and body shame
What is obesity?
BMI above 30
prevalent in Western culture (>50% overweight/obese)
abundance of high-energy food, culture of getting most for the $, technological advances
genetics of obesity: more than 200 genes contribute to obesity
dieting/weight loss: no evidence that metabolic slow-down becomes more pronounced with subsequent weight-loss attempts
What are the motivations behind sex?
not just because it feels good or to have babies
power, self-esteem, peer pressure, “duty”, revenge, money
environmental influence: presence of arousing stimuli (erotica, lover’s touch)
What are patterns in sexual behavior?
typically measured via surveys, which ask about sexual intercourse
biased
What is the sexual response cycle?
4 stage cycle: excitement phase plateau phase orgasm phase resolution phase
What is achievement motivation?
strive to succeed?
motive for success: positive orientation, thrill of victory, mastering skills, outperforming others
fear of failure: negative orientation, measured via questions rating anxiety
What is achievement growth theory?
focuses on manner in which success is defined by individual and achievement situation
mastery orientation: personal improvement
performance orientation: outperform others
What are high-need achievers?
ambitious
persist longer at difficult tasks
perform best when conditions are challenging
How do parental attitudes affect motivation?
high need for achievement
parents: encourage and reward achievement, do not punish failure
fear of failure
parents: achievement taken for granted, failure is punished
What are the different types of motivational conflicts?
approach-approach conflict: two attractive alternatives
avoidance-avoidance conflict: two undesirable alternatives
approach-avoidance conflict: attracted to and repelled by the same goal
delay discounting: decrease in value of a future incentive
What occurs in a life without emotion?
damage to frontal lobe
devoid of emotion
only make decisions based off of reason
suggested that emotions are crucial to survival
How are emotions and motivation comparable?
strong link between motivation and emotion
motives: internal stimuli that energize/direct behavior towards goals
emotions: reactions/responses to events that relate to important goals
What is the adaptive value of emotions?
signal something important is happening, direct one’s attention
positive emotions help form lasting social relationships, broadens thinking and behavior, explore new ideas
important form of social communication, observable information about internal states
