Motivation and emotion part 1 Flashcards
What is the core definition of motivation according?
Motivation is a desire for change, either within oneself or in the environment. It drives changes in behavior, thoughts, feelings, self-concept, or external relationships.
What are the three main components of motivation that guide behavior?
Energy: The strength or intensity of behavior.
Direction: The purpose or goal-oriented nature of behavior.
Persistence: Behavior has endurance over time and across situations.
Why is motivation more than common sense or opinions?
Behavioral science!!!!
The study of motivation relies on empirical evidence from rigorous and peer-reviewed research. It uses theories and data to explain behaviors, not just intuition.
The study of Motivation and Emotion as a behavioral science
Always objective!!!!
Rejects non-scientific sources, like inspirational quotes, in favor of data-based evidence.
What is The importance of theory in Motivation and Emotion?
A good theory identifies and explains the relationships among observable
phenomena, like causes and effects of achievement motivation.
With Good motivational theories we avoid to talk about behavioral science like a
random person in the street.
Cause and Variability
The study of motivation is built around two fundamental questions:
What causes behavior? (Why do people act the way they do?)
Why does behavior vary in intensity? (Why do some people put in more effort than others?)
What are the three main internal processes that drive motivation?
Needs: Biological and psychological essentials.
Cognitions: Thoughts, beliefs, and goals.
Emotions: Reactions to life events that influence motivation.
What is a common misconception about self-esteem in motivation?
Self-esteem is often seen as a cause of success, but evidence shows that it is actually a result of success, not a cause.
However, research shows that self-esteem is an effect, not a cause of success. People don’t succeed because they have high self-esteem; rather, they develop high self-esteem because they have succeeded.
How can incentives (rewards) affect motivation, and what is the danger of overusing them?
Incentives can boost motivation temporarily, but overuse can reduce intrinsic motivation (doing something because you enjoy it).
Once the reward is removed, the person may lose interest in the task because they’ve grown dependent on the reward instead of the task itself. Example: Painting for money instead of for fun.
What are the primary and secondary needs that drive motivation?
Primary needs: Biological needs like food, sleep, and water.
Secondary needs: Psychological and social needs like belonging, achievement, and power.
How do we observe motivation in someone if it’s an internal process?
Motivation can be observed through five signs:
Behavior
Engagement
Physiological responses (e.g., heart rate, pupil dilation)
Brain activation
Self-reported motivation
What are the four types of engagement used to measure motivation?
Behavioral engagement: Putting in effort and sticking with the task.
Emotional engagement: Feeling interested and enjoying the activity.
Cognitive engagement: Thinking strategically and staying mentally focused.
Agentic engagement: Taking initiative and actively contributing ideas or actions
What role do external events play in motivation?
External events, like rewards, praise, or surroundings, act as supporting factors that can boost motivation. However, they should work alongside intrinsic motivation (internal drive) rather than replace it. Otherwise, motivation can fade when external rewards are removed.
Why does motivational science reject non-scientific explanations?
Motivational science relies on objective, empirical evidence from research, not opinions or common sense. It uses testable hypotheses, observable data, and statistical analysis to understand what drives behavior.
Why is continual testing important in motivational science?
Motivational concepts are continually tested to ensure accuracy and usefulness. If new evidence contradicts a concept, it should be revised or discarded. This process helps discover better explanations for human behavior.
What role do theories play in motivational science?
Theories help organize knowledge to describe, understand, and explain phenomena. A good motivational theory answers “Why?” questions and shows relationships between causes and effects (e.g., what leads to high achievement motivation).
What makes a good motivational theory?
A good theory:
Explains why people behave, think, or feel a certain way.
Predicts what will happen in different situations.
Connects actions to outcomes (e.g., how effort or rewards affect performance)
What are the two core questions that motivational science seeks to answer?
What causes behavior? (Why do we act the way we do?)
Why does behavior vary in intensity? (Why are some people or situations more motivating than others?)
What are common misconceptions about motivation (like self-esteem and rewards)?
Self-esteem: Success boosts self-esteem, but self-esteem does not cause success.
Incentives and rewards: They can hurt intrinsic motivation if overused, making people lose interest in the task once the reward is gone.
What are the key components that give behavior its energy, direction, and persistence?
Energy: The strength and intensity behind behavior.
Direction: The purpose or goal that guides behavior.
Persistence: The endurance to keep going despite challenges or over time
What are the differences between internal motives and external events in motivation?
Internal motives (needs, thoughts, emotions) are the main drivers of behavior, like the main actors in a movie.
External events (rewards, praise, environment) act as supporting characters that influence internal motives.
What are the four components of emotions that influence motivation?
Feelings: Subjective experiences of emotion.
Arousal: Physical responses (e.g., heart rate, adrenaline) to cope with situational demands.
Purpose: The urge to take action.
Expression: Nonverbal signals (e.g., facial expressions, body language).
What is psychophysiology, and how does it help measure motivation?
Psychophysiology studies how psychological states like motivation or emotion cause physical changes. Researchers track things like heart rate, blood pressure, and pupil size to observe motivation.
Psychophysiology is the study of the interaction between bodily and mental states.
How do brain activations help us study motivation?
Brain imaging tools (like fMRI) show which brain regions become active when a person feels motivated. For example, reward-related areas light up when we pursue a goal.
What are the advantages and limitations of self-reports for measuring motivation?
Advantages: Easy to use, allows people to describe their own motivation directly.
Limitations: People may say one thing but behave differently (e.g., they may report low anger but show physical signs of aggression).
