Chapter 5: Motivation, Emotion, and Stress Flashcards
Define “instincts”
Innate, fixed paterns of behavior
What does the instinct theory of motivation say?
Certain behaviors are based on evolutionarily programmed instincts
Define “arousal”
Psychological and physiological state of being awake and reactive to stimuli
Involves the brainstem, autonomic nervous system, and endocrine system
What does arousal theory state?
People perform actions in order to maintain an optimal level of arousal
What law describes the arousal theory?
Yerkes-Dodson law
U-shaped function between level of arousal and performance
What happens at each point in the Yerkes-Dodson law?
Define “drives”
internal states of tension that activate particular behaviors focused on goals
originate from within without requiring external factors
create an uncomfortable state, which ensures motivation to eliminate/relieve this internal tension created by unmet needs
Homeostasis is usually controlled by (negative/positive?) feedback loops.
Negative
What does drive reduction theory say?
Motivation is based on the goal of eliminating uncomfortable states
How did Maslow define “needs”?
Relatively long-lasting feelings that require relief or satisfaction and tend to influence action
How many levels are there on Maslow’s hierarchy of needs? What are they?
- Physiological
- Safety
- Love/Beloning
- Esteem
- Self-actualization
If the lowest level is not met, motivation to meet that need will be the highest priority. Once the lowest level of needs is mset, if additional needs exist, they will be satisfied based on priority.
What does self-determination theory (SDT) describe?
Emphasizes the role of 3 universal needs: autonomy, competence, and relatedness
These 3 needs must be met in order to develop healthy relationships with oneself and others
What is the incentive theory of motivation?
Behavior is motivated not by need or arousal, but by the desire to pursue rewards and to avoid punishments
What is the expectancy-value theory of motivation?
The amount of motivation needed to reach a goal is the result of both the individual’s expectation of success in reaching the goal and the degree to which the individual values succeeding at the goal
What is the opponent-process theory?
When a drug is taken repeatedly, the body will attempt to counteract the effects of the drug by changing its physiology
e.g. body counteracts use of alcohol by increasing arousal
the problem is that the reaction lasts longer than the drug effects, resulting in withdrawal (anxiety, jitteriness, irritability) - this theory explains drug abuse and tolerance
What are the 3 elements of an emotion?
- Physiological response
- Behavioral response
- Cognitive response
- physiological - change in HR, temp, breathing rate, blood pressure
- behavioral - facial expressions, body language
- cognitive - subjective interpretation of feeling
Darwin suggested that emotions are a result of evolution; thus, emotions and their corresponding expressions are _______________.
Universal
Paul Ekman described a set of basic emotions that are recognized by societies around the world and are associated with consistent facial expressions across cultures. How many are there now and what are they?
- happiness
- sadness
- contempt
- surprise
- fear
- disgust
- anger
Early psychologists believed that the ____________ component of emotion led to the ____________ component, which then produced the ____________ component.
Cognitive > physiological > behavioral
feelings cause physiological changes which cause changes in behavior
The James-Lange theory of emotion says that a stimulus causes ________________ arousal, which leads to a secondary response in which the emotion is labeled.
physiological
physical changes happen first, which leads to the experience of emotion
e.g. someone cuts you off on the highway - you cognitively label your emotion like this: I must be angry because my skin is hot and my blood pressure is high
The Cannon-Bard theory of emotion says that the conscious experience of emotion and physiological arousal occur ____________________, and then the behavioral component of emotoin (i.e. action) follows.
simultaneously
The Schacter-Singer theory of emotion, also termed the _______________ ___________ theory or the ____-________ theory, states that two factors are needed to experience emotion.
What are these 2 factors?
cognitive arousal; two-factor
2 factors = physiological arousal and a cognitive label
A unique aspect of the Schachter-Singer theory is this aspect of cognitive appraisal. What is it?
To feel an emotion, one must consciously analyze the environment in relation to nervous system arousal.
In order to feel an emotion, the mind must also identify the environmental stimulus causing the physiological arousal.
What part of the brain is key to the experience of emotion?
limbic system
What are the parts of the limbic system?
- Amygdala
- Thalamus
- Hypothalamus
- Hippocampus and fornix
- Septal nuclei
- Parts of the cerebral cortex
The ____________ is a small round structure that signals the cortex about stimuli related to attention and emotions.
What emotion is it associated with?
amygdala
Associated with fear
The ____________ functions as a preliminary sensory processing station and routes information to the cortex and other appropriate areas of the brain.
thalamus
The ________________, located below the thalamus, synthesizes and releases a variety of neurotransmitters. What is it responsible for?
hypothalamus
- homeostatic functions
- emotion modulation
The ________________, within the temporal lobe, is primarily involved in creating long-term memories.
hippocampus
The ability to distinguish and interpret facial expression is primarily controlled by the ____________ lobe, with some input from the ____________ lobe.
temporal; occipital
The ____________ cortex is the anterior portion of the frontal lobes and is associated with planning intricate cognitive functions, expressing personality, and making decisions.
Prefrontal
The ____________ prefrontal cortex is associated with attention and cognition, while the ____________ prefrontal cortex connects with regions of the brain responsible for experiencing emotion.
dorsal; ventral
The ________________ prefrontal cortex is thought to play a substantial role in decision making and controlling emotional responses from the amygdala.
ventromedial
The ________________ nervous system is also related to emotion; specific physiological reactions are associated with specific emotions.
autonomic
Cognitive appraisal is the subjective evaluation of a situation that induces stress. It consists of what 2 stages?
Primary and secondary appraisal
What is primary appraisal of stress?
Initial evaluation of the environment and associated threat
the appraisal can be irrelevant, benign-positive, or stressful
What is secondary appraisal of stress? What 3 things are evaluated?
Evaluation of whether the organism can cope with the stress
Harm, threat, and challenge
A ____________ is a biological element, external condition, or event that leads to a stress response.
stressor
Stressors are classified as causing what 2 possible types of things?
distress or eustress
What is distress?
Occurs when a stressor is perceived as unpleasant, e.g. a threat
What is eustress?
Occurs when a stressor is positively-perceived, e.g. a challenge
Stress level can be measured in “life change units” in a system called what?
The social readjustment scale
The sequence of physiological responses developed by Hans Selye is called ____________ ____________ syndrome and consists of 3 distinct stages:
ARE
general adaptation
- Alarm
- Resistance
- Exhaustion
In the first stage of GAS, the ________________ nervous system is activated.
sympathetic
Shortly after the alarm stage of GAS, the hypothalamus stimulates the pituitary to secrete ________________________________ hormone, which stimualtes the adrenal glands to produce ________________, which maintains the steady supply of blood sugar to respond to stressfule vents.
adrenocorticotropic; cortisol
The stage after alarm is ________________, where the continuous release of hormones allows the sympathetic nervous system to remain engaged to fight the stressor.
resistance
Lastly, a person will experience ________________, where the body can no longer maintain the elevated response with sympathetic nervous system activtiy.
exhaustion
becomes more vulnerable to illness and medical conditions
____________-focused strategies involve working to overcome a stressor, confronting the issue head-on, and creating and following a plan.
Problem
________________ focused strategies center on changing one’s feelings about a stressor.
Emotionally
taking reponsibility, distancing oneself, wishful thinking, etc.
