Motivation, emotion, and stress Flashcards
Motivation
purpose or driving force behind our actions
Extrinsic Motivation
includes rewards for showing a desired behavior or avoiding punishment if a desired behavior is not achieved
Intrinsic Motivation
motivation that comes from within oneself
William James Instinct Theory
- suggested actions are derived from 20 physical instincts and 17 mental instincts
- people are driven to do certain behaviors based on evolutionarily programmed instincts.
William McDougall Instinct Theory
proposed that humans were driven to all thoughts and behaviors by 18 distinctive instincts (including fight and acquisition)
Arousal Theory
people perform actions in order to maintain an optimal level of arousal
Arousal
psychological and physiological state of being awake and reactive to stimuli
Yerkes-Dodson law
States that the performance is worst at extremely high and low levels of arousal and optimal at an intermediate level
Drives
internal states of tension that activate particular behaviors which is focused on goals
Primary Drives
- Motivates us to sustain bodily processes in homeostasis
- includes the needs for food, water, and warmth
Secondary Drives
- additional drives that are not directly related to biological processes
- Thought to stem from learning or from certain emotions
Drive Reduction Theory
- states that motivation Is based on the goal of eliminating uncomfortable states
- certain physiological conditions result in a negative internal environment, which then drives motivation and seeks homeostasis in order to reduce the uncomfortable internal state
Needs
motivators that influence human behavior
Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs
- needs were classified into five groups and assigned different levels of priority for each group
- if the lowest level of need is not met, then motivation to meet this needs would be of the highest priority
Pyramid of Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs
oBase: Most primitive, essential and important needs
o Second: Safety and security
o Third: Love and belonging
o Fourth: Esteem
o Highest Level: Self-actualization – need to realize one’s full potential
Self-Determination Theory (SDT)
emphasizes the role of three universal needs: Autonomy, competence, and relatedness, which must be met order to develop healthy relationships with oneself and others
Autonomy
need to be in control of one’s actions and ideas
Competence
need to complete and excel at difficult tasks
Relatedness
need to feel accepted and wanted in relationships
Incentive Theory
explains that behaviors are motivated by desire to pursue rewards and to avoid punishments. Not by need or arousal
Expectancy Value Theory
amount of motivation needed to reach a goal is the result of both the individual’s expectation of success in reaching the goal and the degree to which he or she values succeeding at that goal.
Opponent-Process Theory
when a drug is taken repeatedly, the body will attempt to counteract the effects of the drug by changing its physiology
tolerance
decrease in perceived drug effect over time
Emotion
natural instinctive state of mind that is derived from one’s circumstances, mood or relationships with others
Element of emotion: Physiological Response
- Arousal is stimulated (by ANS) when a feeling is first experienced
- Induces a change in heart rate, breathing rate, skin temperature, and blood pressure
- Some emotions are associated with more pronounced physiological effects
Element of emotion: Behavioral Response
Includes facial expressions and body language
Element of emotion: Cognitive Response
- subjective interpretation of the feeling being experienced
- Determination of emotion is largely based on memories of past experiences
James-Lange Theory of Emotion
- stimulus results first in physiological arousal, which then leads to a secondary response in which the emotion is labeled
- predicts that individuals who cannot mount a sympathetic response should show decreased levels of emotions
Cannon-Band Theory of Emotion
- states that the cognitive and physiological components of emotion occur simultaneously
- person should still be able to experience emotion and act on that emotion without physiological inputs
Schachter-Singer Theory of Emotion (Cognitive Arousal or Two-factor Theory)
-Both arousal and the labeling of arousal, which is based on the environment, must occur in order for an emotion to be experienced
cognitive appraisal
feel an emotion, one must consciously analyze the environment in relation with their own nervous system arousal
Limbic System
- complex set of structures that reside below the cerebrum on either side of the thalamus
- includes:amygdala, thalamus, hypothalamus, hippocampus and fornix, septal nuclei, and parts of the cerebral cortex
- role in both motivation and emotion
Amygdala
- Processes environment, detects external cues, and learns from surroundings in order to produce emotion
- Associated emotion is fear and also involved in facial expressions
Thalamus
Routes information to the cortex and other appropriate areas of the brain
Hypothalamus
- Synthesizes and releases neurotransmitters
- Major player in maintaining homeostasis
Hippocampus
- linked to creating long-term memories
- Aids in creating a context for stimuli to lead to an emotional experience
Conscious (explicit)
memory of experiencing the actual emotion
Unconscious (Implicit)/emotional memory
the storage of the actual feelings of emotions associated with an event
Prefrontal Cortex
- associated with planning intricate cognitive functions, expressing personality, and making decisions
- Receives arousal input from the brainstem, so it coordinates arousal and cognitive states
- left = positive emotions; right = negative emotions
Dorsal prefrontal cortex
associated with attention and cognition
Ventral prefrontal cortex
with regions of the brain responsible for experiencing emotion
Ventromedial prefrontal cortex
plays a substantial role in decision-making and controlling emotional responses from the amygdala
Cognitive Appraisal
subjective evaluation of a situation that induces stress
Primary Appraisal
the initial evaluation of the environment and the associated threat
Secondary Appraisal
begins if 1st stage results in appraisal of a threat. This stage is directed at evaluating whether the organism can cope with the stress
Reappraisal
situations that require ongoing monitoring
Stressor
Biological element, external condition, or event that leads to a stress response
Distress
occurs when experiencing unpleasant stressors
Eustress
result from positive conditions
Social Readjustment Scale
method to measure stress levels
Pressure
- when demands are put in place from external sources
- Produces a feeling of urgency to complete tasks, perform actions or display behaviors
Frustration
occurs when attaining a goal or a need is prevented
Conflict
arises from the need to make a choice
Approach-Approach
need to choose between two desirable options
Avoidance-Avoidance
choices between two negative options
Approach-avoidance
only one choice/goal/event, but it may have a positive or negative elements
General Adaptation Syndrome
sequence of responses and consists of three stages: Alarm, Resistance, and Exhaustion
General Adaptation Syndrome: Stage 1 Alarm
Initial reaction to a stressor and the activation of the sympathetic nervous system
General Adaptation Syndrome: Stage 2 Resistance
continuous release of hormones allows the sympathetic nervous system to remain engaged in order to fight the stressor
General Adaptation Syndrome: Stage 3 Exhaustion
Body can no longer maintain an elevated response
Problem-focused Strategies
working to overcome a stressor
Emotionally-focused strategies
focus on changing one’s feelings about a stressor
