Motivation Flashcards
Midterm 2
What is Motivation
Internal forces that activate, energize, and direct behaviour toward specific goals
-external factors is not motivation
-drives us towards our outsomes and goals
Motivation (sequence)
Antecedent Conditions
External events
Social contexts
impact
internal processes (needs, cognitions, emotions)
activate, energize, and direct behaviour
-Antecedent conditions are factors or cues that exist before a behavior occurs, influencing how a person will respond.
-An example of antecedent conditions would be a teacher raising their hand before giving instructions in class. The raised hand serves as a cue, signaling students to pay attention and stop talking, influencing their behavior.
Instinct Theory
-Grand theory (early theory) - explain everything in one theory
Instinct: A complex behaviour that is rigidly patterned throughout a species and is unlearned
-born inclinations that are neccessary for survival
-tied to evolution and Darwinism
-influenced by animal research
-evolutionary theory: We are hard-wired to engage in certain behaviours for survival reasons
-physical (sucking) and mental (imitation) instincts
-not every behaviour is instinct and there is differences in human behaviour
-instinct theory fell apart
Drive-Reduction Theory
Need (food and water)
creates…
Drive )hunger and thirst)
leads to…
Drive-reducing behaviour (eating and drinking)
Need: State of deprivation that activates and directs behaviour to alleviate this deprivation
Drive: An aroused state of tension that typically arises from a need; drives our behaviour
Homeostasis: the tendency to maintain a balanced or constant internal state
-we often go against the drive-reduction theory (not eating, overeating…)
Drive-Reduction Theory
Examples
Biological Drive:
sexual arousal
Hunger
Drive-reducing behaviour:
Having sex/masturbating
Heating and apple
Homeostasis:
Neutrality
Satiated
Optimum Arousal Theory
People often seek to increase rather than reduce tension
we want to seek the right amount of arousal
Motivated to achieve an optimum level of arousal
Too little arousal: bored (seek stimulation)
Too much arousal: anxiety (withdraw to lower arousal)
People differ in their optimum level of arousal (some people love it, and so they love rollar coasters and bungee jumping)
Optimum Arousal Theory
Yerkes-Dodson Law
The Optimum Arousal Theory suggests that people are motivated to achieve an optimal level of arousal, not too high or too low. This level of arousal varies depending on the task and individual preferences.
The Yerkes-Dodson Law describes the relationship between arousal and performance: moderate arousal leads to the best performance, while too little or too much arousal can hinder performance. For example, simple tasks benefit from higher arousal, while complex tasks require lower levels of arousal for optimal performance.
Incentive Theory
-mini theories for motivation, rather than grand theories
-pull our behaviour to various directions
-External stimuli make us want to do things as well
Incentive (before behaviour occurs): External object or event that can motivate behaviour (pull)
-stresses the role of the environement
-intrinstic or extrinsic
Incentive Theory
Intrinstic vs. Extrinsic
Intrinsic = performance of an activity for the satisfaction of the activity itself
-we do it because we want to and enjoy the activity (listening to music)
Extrinsic = performance of an activity to obtain some external outsome (incentive)
-there is an external incentive/reason why do would do the activity (going to class to get good grades)
Expectancy Theory
Subjective prediction of the likelihood of future events
(if we think a positive will occur, we most likely will want to do the behaviour)
(belief as to what happens of you engage in a behaviour
Efficacy expectation: Judgement of our capacity to carry out a particular action effectively (self-efficacy)
-e.g. do i believe I can study for 5h straight?
Outcome expectation: Judgement that a given action, once we do it, will cause a particular outcome
-e.g. if we think the test is going to be unfair, or we have test anxiety, we have less motivation to study for it
-but behaviour also depends on value (how much we care)
Efficacy expectation, outcome expectation, and value are all multipled to do the behaviour. If any one of them are zero, it is unikely we will do the behaviour.
Hunger: Glucostatic Theory
-eating behaviour is regulated by the hypothalamus (lateral and ventromedial)
-there are receptors that detect levels of glucose in the blood, which signal to different parts of the hypothalamus
-When glucose levels drop: Glucoreceptors signal the lateral hypothalamus to encourage eating
-on switch
-When glucose levels are too high: Glucoreceptors signal the ventromedial hypothalmus to stop eating
-off switch
Peripheral detectors: stomach distentions (physically full the body is), body temperature (high temperatures = feel full)
3 Major Motivational systems
Hunger, Sex, Belonging
Damage to the Ventromedial Hypothalamus Lesion
-do not respond to glucose levels or peripheral detectors
-do not know they are full to the point of obesity
Fact: Individual differences in how responsive that part of the hypothalmus is to the signals of fullness. People differ in how quickly or what level of activation for the hypothalamus will trigger the feeling of fullness. Differences can explain differences in weight.
Nonhomeostatic Eating
-wo do not just eat due to biological factors
-we have goals in weight, health, temptatons in food, and evolutionary preferences of high fat foods, and signals in our social world
Visual cues: Bottomless bowl study
-as long as we have food in our bowl, we will keep eating despite feeling full
Visual cues: Unit bias and portion sizes
-Unit bias: we think the amount of serving represents an appropriate serving size
-Portion sizes; the contrast between the plate/bowl and color of food impacts the amount of food we put on our bowl
-e.g. white pasta and white plate, serving size increases by 25%
Variety: of foods, nutrients, tastes
Social contexts:
social facilitation: general trend that when we are eating with other people we tend to eat more
Impression management: self-conscious eating and we care about what others think about us
Sexual Motivation
Historical views of sex and sexual motivation
-in the Victorian era (1800s), women were told that proper ladies did not have orgasms
-Freud differentiated between an immature clitoral orgasm and mature vaginal orgasms in women
-elimination of clitoral sexuality is a necessary precondition for the development of femininity, since it is immature and masculine in its nature
Sexual Motivation and Evolution
Libido
-the motivation for sexual activity and pleasure
-impacted by testosterone levels and menstrual levels
Sexual Motivation and Evolution
Evolutionary Psychology
-human nature can be understood in terms of how behaviours helped us to survive and reproduce (e.g. Cinderella effect)
-Cinderella Effect: the urge to protect our offspring, to survive and pass on our genes
-parents treat stepchildren differently because they cannot pass on their genes
Natural selection: Differential reproductive success based on differences in inherited traits
-sexual motivation was selected because it facilitiates mating behaviour, and, therefore, reproductive success
-not just surviving we want, it is reproductive success
-but asexuality, same sex attraction (during a food shortage or environmental pressure it is better for not everyone to reporduce)
Sexual Motivation and Evolution
Sexual Selection
- a type of natural selection
-Differential success in competition for access to mates based on differences in heritable traits
-traits that directly lead to reproductive success
Two types: Intrasexual and intersexual selection
Sexual Motivation and Evolution
Sexual Selection
Intrasexual selection
-members of one sex compete to gain access to members of the other sex
-direct competition
-victory results in reproductive success as with the physically dominant alpha male and his harem (or in humans: brawls, threats)
-the other sex is passive (the species being fought for not choosing who to mate with)
Sexual Motivation and Evolution
Sexual Selection
Intersexual selection
-members of one sex compete to be chosen by members of the other sex
-victory results in reproductive success, as with peacocks tail (or in humans: makeup, pushup bras, fancy cars…)
-make peacocks tail is bright to attract females who think that is a sign of genetic strength (because bright tails actually can attract predators easily)
-the other sex is active (they are selecting you based on why you should be selective)
Sexual Motivation and Evolution
Parential Investment Theory
Males
(details in goodnotes)
-Minimal investment of time, energy, and risk for offspring
-maximize success by seeking more partners and are less selective
-uncommitted sex, more partners, look for youth and attractiveness
Sexual Motivation and Evolution
Parential Investment Theory
(details in goodnotes)
The sex that invests in gestating and rearing offspring is more selective about choosing mates (intersexual choice)
The less-investing sex, in turn exhibit higher levels of competition for access to mates (intrasexual competition)
Sexual Motivation and Evolution
Parential Investment Theory
Females
(details in goodnotes)
-Large investment of time, energy, and risk for offspring
-maximize success by seeking high quality partners’ more selective
-seek commitment; fewer partners; look for income, status, ambition
Are Women More Selective?
Study on recepitivity to casual sex offers
Clark & Hatfield (1989)
-when asked 3 questions progressively leading to casual sex, women were less likely to say yes
