Exam 4 Terms Flashcards
motivation
force that moves people to behave, think, and feel
Behave = overt action
Think & feel = intangible behavior
instinct
unlearned biological response
IE: Fight or flight response
Programmed - from our evolution
drive
state of arousal that occurs because of a physiological need
programmed: food, water, sex
* a psychological itch that requires scratching
need
a deprivation that energizes the drive to eliminate or reduce the deprivation.
IE: Need for water - the body responds by making you thirsty
drive reduction theory
as a drive becomes stronger, we are motivated to reduce it.
homeostasis
body’s tendency to maintain equilibrium - or a state of balance.
*Your best performance tends to come when you are not in homeostasis - but rather, a little “off” - ie, being tired or hungry makes you more aware and alert
arousal
a person’s feelings of being alert and engaged
Optimal Arousal theory
level of arousal that is optimal for facilitating goal attainment. “Operating in the zone”
Yerkes-Dodson Law
best performance comes from conditions of moderate arousal rather than low or high arousal.
overlearning
automating tasks in order to increase performance
set point
the weight maintained when a person makes no effort to gain or lose weight
biology of sex
human sex response pattern (masters & johnson) 4 phases - excitement, plateau, orgasm, resolution
Maslow’s hierarchy of needs
needs must be satisfied in the following sequence: physiological needs, safety, love, esteem, self actualization
self actualization
motivation to develop one’s full potential as a human being. Only possible when all other needs are met.
self-determination theory
Deci & Ryan: 3 basic organismic needs: competence, relatedness, autonomy
*We all have the capacity for growth and development in us - ready to emerge in the right context
competence
met when we feel we are able to bring about desired outcomes. That we have some sense of control over our lives.
Competence Motivation involves self-efficacy (belief you can accomplish a goal or task)
mastery sense you can gain skills and overcome obstacles
relatedness
the need to engage in warm relations with other people. Need for social bonds
autonomy
feeling that one’s behavior is self-motivated and emerging from genuine interest.
intrinsic motivation
motivation based on internal factors, as well as curiosity, challenge and fun
extrinsic motivation
involves external incentives such as rewards and punishers
self-regulation
organism fully controls behavior in order to pursue important objectives.
IE: Marshmallow experiment!
emotion
is feeling, or affect, that can involve physiological arousal, conscious experience, and behavioral expression
James - Lange Theory
emotion results from physiological reactions. EG: See a bull & you run away. According to this - you’re not scared of the bull, you’re scared because you’re running away.
Cannon-Bard Theory
counteracts James -Lange. Emotions & responses occur simultaneously
two factor theory of emotion
physiological arousal and cognitive labeling determine emotions.
We look tot he external world for an explanation of why we are aroused. We interpret external clues and label the emotion.
EG: when with a happy person, you rate yourself as happy. With someone angry, you are angry.
facial feedback hypothesis
facial expressions can influence emotions, as well as reflect them
“Fake it till you make it”
display rules
sociocultural standards that determine when, where, and how emotions should be expressed.
valence
the valence of an emotion refers to whether it feels pleasant or unpleasant.
Positive valence: joy, pleasure, contentment
negative valence: anger, guilt, sadness
Research has shown that emotions tend to go together based on their valence, so if a person is sad - she is also likely to be angry or worried. Happy - likely to also be confident and joyful.
arousal level OR activation level
degree to which the emotion is reflected in an individual’s being active, engaged, or excited versus passive, disengaged, or calm.
broaden and build model
Fredrickson’s model of positive emotion, stating that the function of positive emotions lies in their effects on an individual’s attention and ability to build resources.
IE: Google work atmosphere: 20% Rule or TedTalk example of “FED Ex” because you must deliver something over night.
personality
pattern of enduring, distinctive thoughts, emotions, and behaviors that characterize the way an individual adapts to the world
psychodynamic perspectives
emphasizes that personality is primarily unconscious. According to Freud, it’s shaped between the ages of 2 & 5
Id - Ego - Superego
Id = an individual's reservoir of sexual energy. Animalistic Ego = mediator of two other elements of personality Superego = harsh internal judger of behavior
defense mechanisms
tactics the ego uses to reduce anxiety by unconsciously distorting reality.
Projection
defense mechanism
ego attributes personal shortcomings and faults onto others
repression
master defense mechanism
ego pushes back unacceptable impulses out of awareness
displacement
defense mechanism
ego shifts feelings toward an unacceptable object to another, more acceptable object
collective unconcious
Jung.
Impersonal, deepest layer of the unconscious mind, shared by all human beings because of their common ancestral past.
*experiences of a common past have made a deep, permanent impression on the human mind
archetypes
emotionally laden ideas and images that have symbolic meaning for all people.
*predispositions to respond to the environment in particular ways
Individual psychology
Adler.
people are motivated by purpose and goals - thus, perfection, not pleasure, is the key motivator in human life.
humanistic perspectives
stress a person’s capacity for personal growth and positive human qualities.
Humanistic psychologists believe that we all have the abilities to control our own lives and to achieve what we desire
Carl Rogers (humanistic approach)
believes we are all born with the raw ingredients of a fulfilling life. We simply need the right conditions to survive.
Possess a gut feeling that tells us things that are good and/or bad experiences
trait theories
stresses that personality consists of broad, enduring dispositions that tend to lead to characteristic responses
Five Factor Model of Personality
main dimensions of personality:
- neuroticism - emotional instability
- agreeableness - related to generosity
- openness to experience - tolerance
- Conscientiousness -
- extraversion - people tend to engage in social activities
personology
refers to the study of the whole person
personological and life story perspectives
stress the way to understand a person is to focus on his or her life story, and life history.
*“past actions predict future behaviors”
social cognitive perspectives
theory that emphasize conscious awareness, beliefs, expectations, and goals.
self-efficacy
the belief that one has the competence to accomplish a given goal or task and produce positive change.
*related to a number of positive developments in peoples lives, including solving problems and becoming more sociable
behavioral genetics
the study of the inherited underpinnings of behavioral characteristics.
the study of genetics on behavior
Twin studies: genetic factors explain a substantial amount of the observed differences in each of the big five traits
self report test / objective test / an inventory
a method of measuring personality characteristics that directly asks people whether specific items describe their personality traits
*inaccurate because people can lie
empirically keyed test
a type of self report test that presents many questionnaire items to two groups that are unknown to be different in some central way
Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI)
the most widely used and researched empirically keyed self report personality test. Used to assess mental health, as a tool in hiring decisions, and in forensic settings, assessing criminal risk.
face validity
the extent to which a test item appears to fit the particular trait it is measuring
projective test
a personality assessment test that presents individuals with an ambiguous stimulus and asks them to describe it or tell a story about it - to project their own meaning onto the stimulus.
IE: Inkblot test & Thematic Apperception Test (TAT)
Type A Behavior patterns
excessively competitive, hard-driven, impatient, hostile
Type B Behavior patterns
relaxed and easy going
Type D Behavior patterns
associated with negative emotions and being socially inhibited
subjective well-being
a person’s assessment of his or her own level of positive affect relative to negative affect, and an evaluation of his or her life in general
