Emotion and Motivation

Question 1

What is emotion?

Answer 1

An emotion is a mental and physiological state that directs our attention and guides our behaviour

Question 2

What is the Evolutionary theory ?

Answer 2

It suggests that emotions evolved because they had adaptive value

Question 3

What is the James-Lange theory?

Answer 3

It suggests that emotional states arise directly from physiological arousal.

Question 4

What is the Cannon-Bard theory?

Answer 4

It suggests that physiological arousal and emotional experience can occur simultaneously and independently

Question 5

What is Scachter-Singer’s Two-Factor theory?

Answer 5

It suggests that people’s experience of emotion depends on two factors: physiological arousal and the cognitive interpretation of that arousal

Question 6

What is the Cognitive-appraisal theory?

Answer 6

Lazarus’s (1982) theory suggests that our emotions are a result of our evaluation of an event or situation

Question 7

What is LeDoux’s theory of emotion?

Answer 7

That some emotions require no cognition.
A fear stimulus is processed by the brain through one of two paths:

1) Short pathway: thalamus –> amygdala
- Quick
- Beneficial in survival situations

2) Long pathway: thalamus –> cortex –> amygdala
- Slower
- Allows for further appraisal

Question 8

What does the limbic system include?

Answer 8

The hypothalamus, the thalamus, the amygdala, the hippocampus

Question 9

What is the hypothalamus’s role in emotion and memory?

Answer 9

It activates the sympathetic nervous system that is a part in any emotional reaction

Question 10

What is the thalamus’s role in emotion and memory?

Answer 10

It serves as sensory relay center. It projects its neurons to both the amygdala and the higher cortical region for further processing

Question 11

What is the amygdala’s role in emotion and memory?

Answer 11

It processes emotional information (especially fear) and sends that information on to cortial structures

Question 12

What is the hippocampus’s role in emotion and memory?

Answer 12

It integrates emotional experience with cognition and enables memory storage

Question 13

What is happiness?

Answer 13

Happiness consists of 3 distinct elements:

1) A pleasant life
2) A good life
3) A meaningful life

Happiness can be defined as an enduring state of mind consisting of joy, contentment, positive emotions and a sense of meaning and value

Question 14

What makes people happy?

Answer 14

• Family / social relationships
• Level of education
• Religion
• Good physical health
• Reasonable standards of of living and work
• Personality

Question 15

What is subjective wellbeing?

Answer 15

Diener (1984) developed the model of subjective wellbeing.
It consists of a persons cognitive and effective evaluations of their life as a whole

There are two key areas in the SWB model:
- Life satisfaction
- Affective balance

Question 16

What is psychological wellbeing?

Answer 16

This theory was developed by Carol Ryff
1) Self-acceptance
2) Personal growth
3) Purpose in life
4) Environmental mastery
5) Autonomy
6) Positive relations with others

Question 17

What is the Broaden-And-Build theory?

Answer 17

It was developed by Fredrickson (2004). It focuses on the importance of positive emotions in building resiliency and development

Question 18

What is the flow experience?

Answer 18

It is defined as a psychological state of optimum engagement and focus on an activity

There are 6 characteristics of a flow state:
1) Intense and focused concentration
2) Merging on action and awareness
3) Loss of reflective self-consciousness
4) A sense that one can control one’s actions
5) Altered experience of time
6) Experience of the activity as intrinsically rewarding

Question 19

What are some benefits of the flow state?

Answer 19

• Can accelerate learning process and increase productivity and efficiency
• Can increase persistence, creativity and a desire to challenge yourself
• Feelings of competence and self-confidence
• Reduce anxiety and stress and promote well-being
• Create a sense of purpose and meaning

Question 20

What is mindfulness?

Answer 20

It is a mental state achieved by focusing one’s awareness on the present moment and acknowledging one’s feelings, thoughts and body

It is self-regulation

Question 21

What is the cognitive evaluation theory?

Answer 21

CET explains the effects of external consequences on internal motivation

There are two types of motivation:

1) Intrinsic
2) Extrinsic

Question 22

What is Intrinsic motivation?

Answer 22

It is when someone participates in an activity or complete a task because they internally motivated, and will benefit from it

Question 23

What is Extrinsic motivation?

Answer 23

When someone participates in an activity or task because they will receive something in return, or because there may be negative consequences if they do not complete the task

Question 24

What is the achievement goal theory?

Answer 24

It suggests that people seek competence and will be more motivated to achieve when they have clear goals

There are two particular goals that acheivement goal theory focus on:

1)Task-orientated
2) Ego-orientated

Question 25

What is the self-efficacy theory?

Answer 25

It is a personal judgement on how likely you will succeed in a task of activity.

People with higher self-efficacy are more likely to participate in activities, make greater effort towards tasks and succeed in those tasks

Question 26

What is the goal-setting theory?

Answer 26

It states that people are more motivated to complete their tasks when they have set goals that are clear, are challenging, are complex enough and appropriate time allocated, they can commit fully to and that they receive feedback on