Lecture 10

Question 1

Define motivation

Answer 1

Refers to the moving force that energizes behaviour. Motives reflect biological and psychological needs

Question 2

Maslow’s hierarchy of needs

Answer 2

1. Self actualization (creative art, service to others)
2. Esteem (respect from peers)
3. Love or belongingness (intimacy)
4. Safety (housing, money)
5. Physiological (hunger, thirst)

Question 3

Hypothalamic regulation of eating

Answer 3

Hypothalamus receives information regarding nutrient levels in the body
Lateral region: Stimulation induces eating, lesions of the lateral region produce starvation
Ventromedial region: Lesions induce overeating, stimulation inhibits eating

Question 4

Describe some ways of sexual motivation

Answer 4

Hormones
Organizational effects: Prenatal exposure to androgens alters the neural circuits in brain and spinal cord, Adult behaviour of androgenized subject is masculine
Activational effects: alteration of adult levels of hormones can alter the intensity of a behaviour that is modulated by hormone
Pheromones: Chemical signals that trigger social responses
Enivronmental cues

Question 5

Evolutionary analysis of human sexual behavior

Answer 5

1. Parental investment
   refers to the time, energy and resources parents invest in their offspring to increase chances of survival (females usually invest more time)
2. Patterns of sexual activity: Men tend to seek a variety of sexual partners whereas women tend to choose quality over quantity
3. Differences in mate preferences
   Men tend to look for partners with certain physical appearances to their liking whereas women tend to focus on a partner’s resources, social status and ability to provide
4. Jealousy
   An adaptive emotion that evolved to protect one’s reproductive success. Men might feel more threatened if they are providing resources to an offspring that isnt their own

Question 6

Sexual orientation

Answer 6

Is the direction of attraction for a sexual partner. Homosexuality: attraction for a person of the same sex
Twin studies document a biological basis for homosexuality
Hormonal responses differ between homo and heterosexual men

Question 7

Affiliation motives

Answer 7

The need to associate with others and maintain social bonds
- Companionship, friendship and love
- Evolutionary bases
- Safety, grooming, survival
- Rejection, loss of intimate, loneliness
- Anxiety, jealousy and depression

Question 8

Achievement motives

Answer 8

Need for achievement: refers to the need to do well, to succeed and to avoid failure

Question 9

People that have a high level of need for achievement tend to

Answer 9

• Choose moderately difficult tasks
• Enjoy being challenged
• Avoid failure
• Enjoy success
• Work more persistently

Question 10

Emotion

Answer 10

Reflect a “stirred up” state
Emotions have valence: Positive or negative

Question 11

Emotions are thought to have three components

Answer 11

Physiological arousal
Subjective experience
Behavioural expression

Question 12

Taxonomy of emotions

Answer 12

Between 5 and 9 basic states
The common 5 include: anger, fear, happiness, sadness and disgust
Additional emotional states include surprise, contempt, guilt, joy, trust, shame

Question 13

Emotional valence may be related to activity in the nervous system

Answer 13

Positive: Activity of dopamine systems
Negative: Activity of norepinephrine systems

Question 14

Neuropsychology of emotions

Answer 14

Dual processing of emotions:
- Activation of the amygdala produces visceral responses
- Cortical activation allows for the use of memory in understanding emotional stimuli
- Limbic system

Question 15

2 theories of emotion

Answer 15

James-lange theory
Emotion inducing stimulus -> behavioural and body responses -> Subjective interpretation of arousal as emotion

Cannon-bard theory
Emotion inducing stimulus leads to behavioural/body responses and the experience of emotion simultaneously

Question 16

Cognitive perspectives on emotion

Answer 16

Plato: “reason must rein in the passions”
Schachter and singer (1962): Cognitive judgements are a critical part of emotional experiece
- Subjects are aroused by an injection of adrenaline and then exposed to anger or happiness cues
- The emotional cues played a prominent role in emotional experience

Question 17

Schachter -singer theory of emotion

Answer 17

Emotion inducing stimulus -> Cognitive interpretation of arousal -> emotion

Question 18

Happiness as an emotion

Answer 18

Emotional state characterized by positive valence
Research shows that it is
- related to cultural values (highest in individualistic cultures, lowest in collectivist cultures)
- Highly correlated with number of uninterrupted of democracy in a country
Not related to
- Gender
- Age
- Wealth

Question 19

How do evolutionary psychologists explain gender differences in patterns of jealousy?

Answer 19

Men and women have evolved to react differently to jealousy. Men can never be 100% sure that a child they are raising is biologically theirs. This uncertainty leads men to be more sensitive to sexual infidelity because they may invest resources (like time, energy, and material support) into raising a child that is not genetically related to them. Women have evolved to look for partners who are emotionally committed and able to provide resources and protection for both them and their offspring. If a man forms an emotional bond with another woman, this could signal that he might withdraw his resources and support, leaving the woman and her child at a disadvantage