Chapter 9: Motivation and Learning Flashcards
What is motivation?
a need or desire that energizes and directs behavior
What are the four theories that psychologists use to understand motivated behavior?
- instinct theory
- drive reduction theory
- arousal theory
- Maslow’s hierarchy of needs
What is an instinct?
complex behavior that is rigidly pattered throughout a species and is unlearned
What is the drive-reduction theory?
the idea that a physiological need (food, water) creates an aroused state that motivates an organism to satisfy the need
What does drive reduction help us do?
strive for homeostasis
What are incentives?
positive or negative environmental stimulus that motivates behavior
What pushes and pulls us to do things?
physiological needs push us, while incentives pull us
What does uncertainty do to us?
we inertly are sensation seekers and the “unknown” arouses us and brings excitement
What is the Yerkes-Dodson law?
the principle that performance increases with arousal only up to a point (stress), beyond which performance decreases (overwhelming stress)
Do more difficult tasks require more or less arousal for best performance?
less arousal
What is the hierarchy of needs?
Maslow’s 5 levels of human needs, it starts with physiological needs that need to be satisfied first before other needs higher up in the pyramid
What does Maslow’s self-transcendence level mean?
we strive for meaning, purpose, and communication
Is Maslow’s hierarchy of needs universal?
no, there are people that achieve things higher in the pyramid while not having something lower in the pyramid (for example: Buddha starving himself to find peace and a purpose)
Do things lower on Maslow’s hierarchy take precedent over stuff that is higher?
yes, it does (for example: stopping at a sketchy diner because you are really hungry)
What is affiliation need?
the need to build and maintain relationships and to feel part of a group
What is the self-determination theory?
the theory that we feel motivated to satisfy our needs for competence, autonomy, and relatedness
What is ostracism?
the deliberate social exclusion of individuals or groups
What is narcissism?
excessive self-love and self-absorption
What is achievement motivation?
a desire for significant accomplishment for mastery of skills or ideas, for control, and for attaining a high standard (essentially: the more we achieve, the more we many need to achieve)
Is natural talent the only factor in high achievement?
nope, people who have high self-discipline and natural talent are the ones that achieve the most in life
What is grit?
passion and perseverance in the pursuit of long term goals
What is intrinsic motivation?
the desire to perform a behavior effectively for its own sake
What can excessive reward do to intrinsic motivation?
it can destroy intrinsic motivation
What is extrinsic motivation?
the desire to perform a behavior to receive promised rewards or avoid threatened punishment
Is hunger only due to stomach contractions?
nope, when researchers removed rats’ stomach, they were still feeling hungry and eating, so the stomach wasn’t the only reason people and animals felt hungry
What is a set point?
the “normal” weight that your body and brain are used to
What are emotions a mix of?
- body arousal
- expressive behaviors
- conscious experience and feelings
What is the James-Lange Theory?
the theory that our experience of emotion occurs when we become aware of our physiological responses to an emotion arousing stimulus
What is the Cannon-Bard Theory?
the theory that an emotion-arousing stimulus simultaneously triggers a physiological responses and the subjective experience of emotion
What are the three most important aspects of self- motivation?
choice, competence, and community
What was the marshmallow test?
children were given a marshmallow, and instructed to wait if they wanted two marshmallows later, rather than eating the one now
What did the marshmallow experiment show?
that children able to resist temptation tended to do better later in life (with health and success)
What is the difference between stress and distress?
perception of personal control
What is the difference between activators and consequences?
activators direct and consequences motivate
What type of consequences are naturally reinforcing?
intrinsic
Can observers and coworkers improve or impair an individuals performance?
both
Why can behavior be self directed and other directed?
you can behave due to your own intrinsic motivation and take responsibility for your actions, or you can behave according to other people and blame other people for shortcomings
What type of intelligence was triggered when the kids delayed eating the marshmallow?
emotional intelligence
What is the two factor theory?
that humans feel physical arousal when presented with a stimulus and then cognitive label that arousal based on the situation/environment we’re in
What is self actualization in Maslow’s hierarchy of needs?
motivation, what drives us to become the best version of ourselves
What determines an individuals equity ratio?
work input and work output
What is catharsis beneficial for and problematic for?
beneficial for grief but problematic for anger
What is work-releated stress caused by?
role ambiguity, interpersonal conflict, low “psychological safety”, and lack of interpersonal support
What are the four levels of psychological safety?
feeling included, learning, contributing, and ability to change the status quo
What is cognitive appraisal?
the way in which an individual responds to and interprets stressors in life
What is general adaptation?
process your body goes through when you are exposed to any kind of stress
What is subjective well-being?
how people experience and evaluate their lives
