College 4: Emotion, motivation, and reward

Question 1

Emotion
Historical context
1. Plato & Aristotle
2. Descartes
3. Darwin

Answer 1

1. Plato & Aristotle = started to separate emotion, cognition, and motivation
2. Descartes = made de body-mind connection (bodily fluids)
3. Darwin = nature/nurture influences

Question 2

Emotion

Which 3 model types do you have of emotion?

Answer 2

1. Components
2. Overarching dimensions
3. Discrete systems

Question 3

Emotion

Components model: what works together in this model? (4x)

Answer 3

Physiological, subjective, cognitive parts & expression

Question 4

Emotion

Which 3 theories includes the components model and what is their meaning? (3x)

Answer 4

1. James-Lange theory = physiology drives other processes
2. Cannon = cognitions drive other processes
3. Strack = expression drives other processes

Question 5

Emotion

What are 4 overarching dimensions of emotions?

Answer 5

1. Valence = positive/negative coloring of emotions
2. Arousal = activity level
3. Dominance/submission
4. Relaxation/attention

Question 6

Emotion

What is the discrete system model?

Answer 6

A categorical approach like a set of basic emotions

Question 7

Emotion

Which perspective does include the discrete system model?

Answer 7

Panksepp’s comparative perspective = focuses on the survival advantage of emotions and what is “hardwired” in the brain. He looks for parallel systems in all mammals.

Question 8

What is the core concept of motivation?

Answer 8

Maintaining homeostasis (food&fluid intake + temperature regulation). More recent also about mental states.

Question 9

What is the core concept of reward?

Answer 9

A pleasure response gives us value to an experience, and is the mechanism of reinformcement of behavior that is needed for survival

Question 10

What is the definition for “reward functions as a motivator -> you want to do it again”

Answer 10

Incentive salience

Question 11

Motivation & reward

What are 3 models of motivation & reward?

Answer 11

1. Maslow’s hierarchy of needs = pyramide with first physiological needs, safety & security, belongings & love, self-esteem & status, self-actualization
2. Expectancy theory of motivation
3. Self-determination theory

Question 12

Models of motivation & reward

Which 3 elements are included in the ‘expectancy theory of motivation’?

Answer 12

1. Expectancy = perceived probability that effort will lead to good performance
2. Instrumentality = perceived probability that good performance leads to desired outcomes
3. Valence = value of the predicted outcomes to the individual (motivation)

Question 13

Models of motivation & reward

Which distinction is made in the self-determination theory?

Answer 13

1. Intrinsic motivation = drive that is motivated by pleasure (direct reward)
2. Extrinsic motivation = drive that is motivated by an expected reward or avoidence of punishment (indirect reward)

Question 14

What is the musical reward theory?

Answer 14

Music affects us because there is some balance between predictable and unpredictable auditory patterns -> too predictable is boring, too unpredictable is too jarring.

Question 15

Emotion leads to activation in … (3x)

Answer 15

mostly subcortical structures, but also some cortical areas like the cingulate cortex and orbitofrontal cortex

Question 16

Where is arousal regulated?

Answer 16

In the brain stem (energy, sleep/wake cycle)

Question 17

What are 2 hemispheric differences in valence processing (emotion)?

Answer 17

1. more activation right (global) than left (more precise)

2. right activation more negative and left more positive emotions

Question 18

The core of emotional processing happens in the …

Answer 18

Limbic system, important for stress and fight-flight responses

Question 19

What areas are included in the Papaz circuit?

Answer 19

Hippocampus - hypothalamus - anterior nuclei of thalamus - cingulate cortex

Neocortex

Question 20

What area is involved in emotional (negative) responses, emotional coloring of learning and memory, and decision-making?

Answer 20

Amygdala

Question 21

Neurobiology of motivation

Which 2 dopamine pathways do you have? (reward prediction)

Answer 21

1. Mesolimbic pathway = from VTA to Nucleus Accumbens (NAc)

2. Mesocortical pathway = from VTA to orbitofrontal cortex (OFC) & NAc

Question 22

Neurobiology of motivation

What is the Nucleus Accumbens?

• Part of?
• Onward projections to?

Answer 22

• Part of the basal ganglia (ventral striatum)
• Onward projections go to the palladium (main output) and thalamus all the way to the prefrontal cortex -> this is already the actual pleasure response

Question 23

Neurobiology of reward

Which area receives signals from limbic areas and dopamine pathways?

Answer 23

The frontal cortical areas -> here it’s no longer a dopamine system, but inhibitory & excititory systems of GABA & glutamate based connections

Question 24

Neurobiology of reward

Music reward (chills) -> what activation is seen in preceeding chills and what activation while during?

Answer 24

• Preceeding = caudate activation

- During = ventral striatum / NAc activation

Question 25

Many cognitive functions are modified by emotion or reward values, e.g. memory. Which 2 memory related aspects are related to this?

Answer 25

1. Flashbulb memories = something very salient happens and you exactly remember it (highly charged emotional events with high retention)
2. Strong negative emotions = can negatively impact explicit memory retention (e.g. PTSS)

Question 26

Many cognitive functions are modified by emotion, e.g. attention. Why attention?

Answer 26

More emotionally salient stimuli will be better perceived and are harder to ignore, so this affects our attention.

Question 27

Relation between reward & attention -> what can cause this?

Answer 27

Attentional bias -> if a bigger reward is coming up, this becomes more important (like smoking)

Question 28

Expected award increases performance, but also creates …

Answer 28

Stress trough ‘loss aversion’ = being afraid not to do well/chocking under pressure

Question 29

What are 3 disorders in motivation & reward? And what are their symptoms?

Answer 29

1. Avolition/apathy = lack of drive (underproduction of speed, movement, emotions and lack of initiation & exploration instinct
2. Anhedonia = lack of pleasure (core symptom in mood disorders)
3. Impulse control disorders = like addiction (various addictive substances impact directly on reward pathways / or obesity -> reduction of satiety signals)