chapter 11- motivation and emotion Flashcards
define motivation
an internal state of condition that directs a behaviour, often towards a goal
what is the instinct theory?
it states that motivation is due to inborn behaviour tendencies, which are activated by environmental stimuli. it states that behaviours originate from behavioural blueprints (survival driven)
what is the problem with the instinct theory?
it does not account for individual differences in behaviour
what is the drive reduction theory?
states that we are motivated to maintain homeostasis (balance) - why we drink water when we are thirsty, etc. (biologically driven)
what is the problem with drive reduction theory?
it does not explain voluntary or thrill seeking behaviours such as rollercoasters or skydiving
what is the arousal theory?
it states that motivation comes from the need to achieve an appropriate level of arousal
what is the yerkes - dodson law?
states that we achieve peak performance when arousal levels are appropriate for the specific task (high difficulty = low arousal, low difficulty = high arousal)
what is incentive theory?
suggests that people are motivated by a drive for incentives or reinforcement
what is an incentive?
external motives that indirectly indicate a reward
define intrinsic vs extrinsic motivation
intrinsic: doing something because you want to and you enjoy it
extrinsic: doing something because you want a reward
what are primary vs secondary incentives?
primary incentive: rewards or punishments that are innate (food, sex) - something you don’t need to be taught to desire
secondary incentives: viewed as rewarding due to associations (money) - learned to desire
what is incentive salience?
describes how important a particular incentive is to us based on our personal experience
what are opiates?
chemicals that contribute to feelings of pleasure
what is the nucleus accumbens associated with in the brain?
feelings of rewards and pleasure
what two brain regions are highly affected by dopamine?
nucleus accumbens and prefrontal cortex
what is the main concept of maslow’s hierarchy of needs? what are the 5 levels?
bottom up: physiological, safety, love, esteem, self-actualization
it outlines that humans need to have their most basic needs met before they are able to move on to other needs and desires
what two mechanisms drive the need for water?
- loss of volume of fluid (from sweating, bleeding, vomiting)
- loss of water inside cells (drive to maintain ion-water balance inside cells)
what in the bloodstream affects hunger levels?
glucose and lipids (less glucose = more eating, more glucose = less eating)
what is leptin?
protein produced by fat cells and are important for regulating food eaten over periods of time (more fat = more leptin = lower appetite )
what does the lateral hypothalamus do?
signals thirst and hunger
what does the ventromedial hypothalamus do?
it is important in signaling fullness (satiety), and influences insulin levels
what happens if the ventromedial hypothalamus is damaged?
excessive hunger and weight gain, as glucose is sent to fat instead of blood
what is the dual-center theory in terms of the LH and VMH?
the idea that stimulating one will inhibit the other, if LH is stimulated, the VMH is inhibited
what is a body weight set point?
the weight that people typically return to if dieting and exercise is stopped
what is the definition of obesity?
over weight characterized as having a BMI of over 30
what is a body mass index (BMI)?
an individuals weight to height ratio (isn’t good for seeing individual differences)
what is anorexia nervosa?
extreme under eating, includes a distorted body image of being “overweight” (person may use laxatives to reduce calorie intake) - shows EXCESSIVE control