Emotion and Motivation Flashcards
What is the cycle of procrastination?
I don’t do anything, I feel guilty, I doubt myself, I feel helpless, I don’t anything and so on and so forth
What are Maslow’s 5 needs in order?
Physiological needs
Safety needs
Love and belonging
Esteem
Self-actualization
What are motivational states?
psychological and physiological states that initiate and direct the organism towards or away from specific goals (i.e., the feeling of wanting something). These are momentary changes
What are motivational states stopped by?
Approach behaviours and Avoidance behaviours
What are approach behaviours? Example?
situations in which the state stops once you acquire a goal. Ex: hunger is a motivational state that makes us approach food. Once we have eaten the food, our hunger goes away. Bordom is another example of this.
What are avoidance behaviours?
situations in which the state stops once you avoid a goal. Pain is an avoidance motivational state because it leads to you leaving a particular situation. Ex: you touch a hot surface and you pull away.
What are the 2 categories of motivational states?
Biological motivational states
Acquired/Personal Motivational states
Biological Motivational States
automatic, minimal conscious control over, help us survive and reproduce (e.g., hunger, thirst, fear, sexual arousal, etc.)
Acquired/personal motivation states
learned, idiosyncratic, significant conscious control over, do not directly contribute to our immediate survival (e.g., a desire for education, wanting to go out this Friday night, wanting to be famous, a need for cognition, etc.). These vary a lot from person to person. They vary between cultures. They very rarely contribute to our immediate survival.
What are biological motivational states broken down into?
Bodily sensations
Emotions
What are bodily sensations? What are they marked by?
motivational states most often triggered by internal (bodily) events and marked by: (a) physiological arousal; (b) a dedicated and unambiguous neural signal that guides the organism towards specific action.
What are emotions? What are they marked by?
motivational states most often triggered by external (world) events and marked by: (a) physiological arousal; (b) cognitive interpretation; and (c) observable facial and bodily expression.
What are examples of bodily sensations?
hunger, thirst
What are examples of emotions?
happiness, sadness, disgust
How is your brain connected to the rest of your body? How does this relate to the ANS?
your brain is connected to the rst of your body through a wide array of nerves. Some will send signals to the brain that you have conscious control over but the ones we are interested in are a part of the autonomic nervous system.
What is the Autonomic Nervous System?
nerves that carry involuntary and automatic commands between the brain and blood vessels, body organs, and glands.
What are the 2 branches of the Autonomic Nervous system?
Sympathetic Nervous System
Parasympathetic Nervous System
What is the Sympathetic Nervous System?
(Go!): the branch that prepares the body for action in challenging or threatening situations.
What is the Parasympathetic Nervous System?
(Calm down…): the branch that returns the body to its normal resting state.
What is the Hypothalamus?
structure that is especially responsible for regulating bodily
sensations and supporting survival and reproduction.
What are the 2 brain regions that the Sympathetic and Parasympathetic nervous systems interact with?
The hypothalamus and the amygdala
What is the hypothalamus in charge of?
regulating the four Fs
What are the four Fs?
Feeding, Fighting, Fleeing, and Mating
Why do we say that bodily sensations are not ambiguous?
people don’t usually confuse one bodily sensation with another
What happens to rats who have their amygdala removed?
Rats who have their amygdala removed no longer feel fear and can’t learn about fear (e.g., if you shock them every time they press a button, they will keep pressing the button no matter what).
How do you know what you are experiencing (physical) James Lange?
Bodily sensations have dedicated brain regions and signals that communicate unambiguously whether you are, e.g., in pain, or hungry, or thirsty.
What is James-Lange Theory?
a stimulus causes unique physiological reactions which produces a dedicated emotional experience in the brain.
What are emotions according to James-Lange theory?
Emotions are then just like bodily sensations – unique physiological reaction for each unique emotion. They are unambiguous and there is a particular way in which your body reaction when you experience something that will cause fear etc.
What are the problems with James-Lange theory?
- Emotions are fast, Bodily sensations are slow
- Not enough signals and regions for each separate emotion. We have never been able to find pyschological reactions that are unique to a particular reaction
What does Cannon-Bard theory say?
(no interpretation!): a stimulus triggers both
physiological reaction and a separate brain-based emotional response
What does Cannon-Bard theory say about emotions?
Arousal comes after or at the same time as the emotion, but does not
cause the emotion itself.
This separate response is often an association that is biological or learned (e.g., our brains know to be afraid of fangs and teeth).
What is a good explanation for Cannon-Bard theory?
This theory says that emotions are unambiguous but the physiological arousal is not responsible for emotional states, your brain is. Arousal is coming at the same time or after but it isn’t related to the emotion you are experiencing. Instead, your brain has automatic associations. Like every time you see a smile, you are automatically happy. The lack of ambiguity is because the brain has different ways of interpereting these things
What do the James-Lange and Cannon-Bard theory both predict? What is the difference between their approach?
Both theories predict that emotions are unambiguous and clear-cut:
- You always know what you are feeling.
- You always know why you are feeling it.
James puts this in the body, Cannon puts this in the brain
What shows that Cannon and James are wrong?
Two famous experiments in psychology show that is false, and that people can both misinterpret what they are feeling, and be wrong about why they are feeling it.
What was the Amphetamine experiment?
an experiment in which all participants were given amphetamines (increasing arousal) and either told that they were given the drug, or were told it was just water. What do they experience?
What would James-Langes theory say about the Amphetamine experiment?
both groups experience arousal and therefore same emotion. (it doesn’t matter what we tell participants)
What would the Cannon-Bard theory say about the amphetamine experiment?
the water group should feel no emotion, since they have no association between drinking water and emotions. (Because there is no association between drinking water and emotion, they shouldn’t feel any emotions)
What were the results of the amphetamine study that contradicted James and Cannon?
all participants experienced emotions, but it differed by group: the drug group experienced arousal as a pleasant sensation, the water group felt agitated and unpleasant.
What is the Capilano Suspension Bridge Study?
participants cross the (pretty scary) Capilano suspension bridge or a normal bridge, and then interact with an opposite-sex research assistant; they are later asked how attracted they were to them.
What would the James-Lange theory say about the Capilano Suspension bridge study?
no increased attraction, since arousal is unambiguously from bridge.
What would the Cannon-Bard study say about the Capilano Suspension Bridge study?
no increased attraction, since arousal is unambiguously from bridge.
What were the results of the Capilano suspension Bridge study that contradicted James and Cannon?
Capilano bridge group reported significantly higher attraction towards the research assistant than those crossing a normal bridge, misinterpreting their arousal from the bridge as attraction towards assistant. There was a misattribution of arousal.
What is the 2 factor theory?
(emotions are interpretation): emotions are inferences from physiological reactions: we experience arousal, and then try to find out why, leading to an emotional state.
What are the 2 main ideas of the 2 factor theory?
When we first observe a stimulus, a fast pathway leads directly to the amygdala and makes us act fast and feel an initial jolt of fear or surprise.
A separate slow pathway sends information to cortical regions of the brain, assessing if the threat is real, what the source is, and can revise that emotion into happiness, sadness, etc.
What are the 2 roles of emotions?
Emotions – unlike bodily sensations – serve two roles:
Internal Role (goals)
External role (information)
What is the internal role of emotions?
(goals): they help guide us towards particular goals (e.g., when I am feeling sad, I am much more likely to seek out comfort).
What is the external role of emotions?
(information): they communicate to others what our internal states are (e.g., sad faces notify others that we are sad and make them want to come comfort us). We’ll return to this on Friday.
What can be said about bodily senations?
- Drive us towards or away from specific
goals.
- Generated internally by our bodies for purpose of biological preservation.
- Physiological arousal leads to unambiguous sensation.
What can be said about emotions?
- Drive us towards or away from specific
goals.
- Sometimes internally generated, but mostly externally generated (e.g., by bears, bridges, etc.)
- Physiological arousal that is cognitively interpreted!
- Coupled with very clearly observable facial and body expressions.
What are Emotional Categories?
emotions can be separated into distinct categories, and all emotions are variations on these.
What are the conflicting perspectives of the idea of emotional categories?
-Categorical emotions are distinct states: they can’t be mixed.
- Non-categorical emotions are fluid, and like personality factors.
What is emotional Universailty? What are these theories usually tied to?
all human beings, at any age, in any culture, etc., experience the same emotions in the same way. Theories of universality are often tied to evolutionary pressures.
What is the discrete emotions theory? Is it categorical? Universalist?
(categorical and universalist) there is a limited number of basic/primary emotions, identical for all of us, each associated with specific biological and evolutionary function
What have most argued for as the primary emotions? How many are there?
6: Happiness, Sadness, Anger, Surprise, Disgust, Fear.
What do the six basic emotions appear to be associated with?
distinct and non-confusable
facial expressions.
What is the generalized description for the happiness facial expression?
raising of mouth corners, crinkling of eyes.
What is the generalized description for the sadness facial expression?
lowering of mouth corners, raising inner
brows.
What is the generalized description for the Surprise facial expression?
brows arch, mouth open, jaw drops.
What is the generalized description for the Fear facial expression?
brows raise, eyes wide open, mouth slightly open.
What is the generalized description for the Disgust facial expression?
upper lip raised, nose bridge wrinkles, cheeks
raise.
What is the generalized description for the Anger facial expression?
brows lower, lips pressed, eyes bulging.
What suggests universality of facial expressions for the primary emotions?
These same expressions are present in non-human animals, in other cultures,
and even in newborn babies, suggesting universality.
What does discrete theory place value on?
The discrete theory places special value on face perception, arguing that we
have evolved to ”see” faces automatically.
What is the Fusiform Face Area (FFA)?
a dedicated brain area that processes and
distinguishes faces and facial expressions.
What is Prosopagnosia?
a neurological problem (usually from damage to the FFA) leading to “face blindness”: the inability to recognize or properly perceive faces.
What is the internal role of emotional expression?
Emotional expressions might help us deal with the emotion or the external
stimulus that generated it (internal role):
What is the internal role of the fear response? What does this mean in terms of type of motivational states?
Why does fear open eyes? To allow more information about the threat to come in. motivational state is to deal with that threat, often thorugh finsing an escape route. might be an adaptation that allows you to quiclly scan your envioronment
What is the internal role of the disgust response? What motivational state does this relate to?
Why does disgust crinkling our nose? To restrict the flow of foul air. motivational state to say stay away from that thing
What is constructed emotion theory?
(non-categorical and universalist) all emotions are a mixture of two specific factors: arousal and valance. Emotions are always fluidly interpreted.
What does constructed emotion theory suggest?
This theory suggests that arousal itself is not a precondition for emotion. Because you can also interperate the lack of arousal that there is an emtoion as well. At the end of the day, the reasons and way different people might be in the same state of arousal but it depends on the interperatiation of your situation.
How does your body signal to the brain that you should eat?
Two signals travel to the hypothalamus, generating sensation of hunger: Ghrelin and leptin
What is Ghrelin?
(hunger signal): a peptide secreted in the stomach when it is empty; stretching the stomach (usually from food) stops the secretion of ghrelin.
What is Leptin?
(not hungry signal): a hormone secreted by fat/adipose cells once the amount of fat reaches a genetically specified level; the amount of fat falling below this level stops the secretion of leptin.
What were the Leptin Mice?
mice whose DNA was altered so that their bodies do not
produce leptin and never feel full.
Is hunger impacted only by physiology?
no. Feelings of hunger can be strongly impacted not just by biology (e.g., leptin-
deficiency) but also by cognition.
What are eating disorders?
clinically diagnosed psychological disorder defined by abnormal eating habits (either insufficient or excessive).
What is true about eating disorders and gender?
Eating disorders are especially likely to affect young women, though rates in men are increasing. About 2% of Canadian women aged 15-24 are diagnosed with an eating disorder.
What is obesity?
eating disorder characterized by excessive eating and weight-gain that interferes with daily life. Obesity has a strong genetic component, including (in about 6-7% of all cases) reduced sensitivity to leptin.
What is Bulimia Nervosa?
eating disorder characterized by binge eating followed by purging, but relatively normal weight.
What is Anorexia nervosa?
eating disorder characterized by severe anxiety about being perceived as fat and intense restriction of food intake, leading to dramatically low weight. Patients with anorexia are not ghrelin-deficient:
they feel hunger normally, but willingly refuse to eat.
What is Puberty?
a complex process of physical and cognitive changes during which
children mature into adult bodies and become sexually active.
What is DHEA?
steroid that can be built into other hormones, including testosterone and estrogen; as a result, the accumulation of DHEA is the (slow) onset of puberty.
What is testosterone’s role in puberty?
Testosterone (T) will subsequently and especially affect physical and sexual maturity of male organs, promote hair growth, etc.
What is estrogen’s role in puberty?
Estrogen will subsequently and especially affect physical and sexual maturity of female organs, promote growth of breasts, onset of menstruation, etc.
What is testosterone like in non-human animals?
In non-human animals, testosterone and estrogen are like ghrelin: they flow
to the hypothalamus and increase sexual desire. Males will increase in sexual desire from testosterone. Females will increase in sexual desire from estrogen.
How is testosterone and estrogen unique in humans?
But in humans, the relationship is different complicated:
Males will increase in sexual desire from testosterone.
Females will also increase in sexual desire from testosterone, and will regularly have sex even when estrogen levels are low.
Your textbook goes through the sexual response cycle, which you should know.
What do theories of emotions vary on?
Theories of emotion vary on discreteness and universality but the most accepted theory is of basic emotions.
is Face perception deeply important to the brain?
yes. it has a dedicated region for it.
How are bodily sensations generated?
like arousal and hunger – are generated by dedicated signals (ghrelin, leptin, testosterone, etc.).
What are motives?
A force that leads an individual to behave in a particular way
Do we only have one type motive?
no we have many which can often pull us in different directions.
What is an instinct?
a genetically endowed tendency to behave in a particular way.
What is homeostasis?
The body’s tendency to maintain internal equilibrium through various forms of self-regulation.
What is a drive?
A state of internal body tension, such as hunger or thirst or a need for sleep. Drives are disruptions in our biological or psychological homeostasis that motivate us to act.
What is the drive reduction account of motivation?
behavior that reduces the drive and thus helps return the body to equilibrium
What happens when you’re cold?
a control center in your brain called the hypothalamus activates your sympathetic nervous system. which, among other things, constricts peripheral blood vessels
What is cool about the predictive nature of human’s
We can anticipate future states, and thus pack warm clothes for a skiing trip.
What does drive theory say?
many different sources of tension can motivate us to act
What is the pain matrix?
A distributed network of brain regions, including the amygdala that respond to many types of pain.