Module 7 Lesson 1 - Motivation Flashcards
What is motivation?
What drives us to do certain things. It explains why people behave or act in a certain way. It can sometimes be mixed with instinct.
What is instinct behavior?
It is what we already know at birth (like who your mother is).
What are the Nine Theories for Motivation?
- Instinct Theory / Evolutionary Theory
- Drive Reduction Theory
- Arousal Theory
- Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs
- Incentive Theory
- Hawthorne Motivation Theory
- Expectancy Motivation Theory
- Theory of Attribution
- Cognitive Dissonance Theory of Motivation
Instinct Theory/Evolutionary Theory
- Influenced by Charles Darwin
- Explains that we are motivated by unlearned behavior that occurs within given species.
Ex. Where do sea turtles travel to once they have hatched? What do bears do during the winter?
These species were never taught to behave this way, it was an instinct.
Darwin argued that these instincts are evolutionary programmed into a species based on Natural Selection.
Drive Reduction Theory
- By Clark Hull and Kenneth Spence
- Explains how we are motivated to end or satiate a psychological need.
Ex. eating when hungry
Explains why we eat when we are hungry and drink when we are thirsty. It is to achieve homeostasis.
What is homeostasis?
It is the internal process that keeps us psychologically and physically balanced.
Ex. You have a bad day and see something funny that makes you laugh harder than normal (psychological balance).
Ex. Your body rises in temperature while sleeping so your body produces sweat to make it come down (physical balance).
Arousal Theory
Opposite of Drive Reduction Theory
Ex. Would you go crazy if you were stuck at home without anything to do, and would you ever parachute from an airplane or to parasailing? (adrenaline junkies)?
The theory states that the higher our arousal (heightened motivation), the better performance we will have.
States a person strives to reach their optimal level for balance.
What is the Yerkes-Dodson Law (or Theory)?
There is a connection between performance and arousal. If the arousal is increased, the performance is increased until the arousal becomes excessive.
Ex. Veronica is passionate about the clarinet and spends a ton of time practicing, which gives her major improvements in performance. If she over-practices, it could lead to injury or burnout.
Simpler tasks require higher arousal while more difficult tasks require lower arousal.
Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs
Proposed by Abraham Maslow
Explains human needs in a pyramid style, where the bottom contains the most basic needs such as physical needs of food, air, etc…, going to the top which is self-actualization.
Maslow believed that individual needs must be met before they can advance to the next level. The ultimate goal (top of pyramid) is self-actualization.
Incentive Theory
States that behavior is motivated by desire for reward.
Ex. Students turning in homework on time to receive a gold star on the classroom chart.
Hawthorne Motivation Theory
Known sometimes as Subject Reactivity, the Hawthorne Effect, or the Observer Effect.
A study originally based on light and better worker performance.
Result was that employees performed better when the researchers paid more attention to them.
Participants in a study will change their behavior based on the response from the researcher.
Ex. Do you change your behavior when a principal is supervising the classroom? Or when a doctor asks questions about your illness? Or when a police car is behind you on the highway?
Expectancy Motivation Theory
Known also as Expectancy Theory by Victor Vroom
States that people are directly motivated in expectation of a specific result or reward.
Ex. Working on a business proposal long hours in order to secure a promotion.
Theory of Attribution
Also known as the Attribution Theory by Fritz Heider
States that people will use psychological (or internal) causes or external causes to explain behavior.
Ex. Sarah is rude because she was raised that way (internal) and John is in a bad mood because he was rear-ended in traffic this morning (external).
Cognitive Dissonance Theory of Motivation
Cognitive dissonance uses one’s thoughts, beliefs, and attributes to explain motivation.
It is what and how we think that motivates us to our behavior.
Leon Festinger says that we have the desire to have our thoughts and beliefs align with our actions.
The feeling of dissonance is when we act in a way we say doesn’t match what we do, and it motivates us to change our behavior and cognitive ability to ease the uneasy feeling.
What are the four influences on the physiology of hunger?
- The stomach
- Body chemistry
- The brain
- Set Point Theory
What was the experiment of the stomach that was done on the feeling of hunger?
A.L. Washburn and Walter Cannon ran an experiment where Washburn swallowed a medical balloon to measure his stomach contractions.
Each time he felt a hunger pang, he pressed a lever.
The result was that stomach contractions go hand in hand with the feeling of hunger.
What are some hormones that aid in letting us know when we are hungry or full?
- Glucose and insulin
- Ghrelin
- Orexin
- PPY, Leptin
What do glucose and insulin do in regards to body chemistry?
Works together to balance the body’s blood-sugar level.
- When glucose level drops, you feel hungry
- When glucose levels are high, the pancreas will increase insulin to lower glucose levels.
Physiologically, the drop or rise in glucose in the bloodstream can impact a person’s thinking and psychological reactions.
Hyperglycemia and Hypoglycemia.
Hyperglycemia - a.k.a. Diabetes, high glucose levels
Hypoglycemia - low glucose levels
What does Gherlin do in regards to body chemistry?
- It is an important hunger hormone
- It is produced and released in the stomach.
- When the stomach releases Ghrelin, hunger is stimulated and you feel hungry.
What does Orexin do in regards to body chemistry?
It is secreted by the hypothalamus and increases hunger.
What does PPY and Leptin do in regards to body chemistry?
PPY is secreted in the digestive tract. Leptin is secreted by fat cells to decrease feelings of hunger.
