Unit 1 Flashcards
Wanting
A state inside of us that desires change. A psychological driving force that energizes, guides, and sustains behavior.
What does motivation do to behavior?
1) It energizes behavior, giving it strength. (Psychological energy to enact a certain behavior).
2) It guides behavior, giving it direction. It determines where we are channeling the energy we have.
3) Sustains behavior over time, giving it endurance.
What do we consider to be direct causes of motivation?
Internal sources, like physical and psychological needs, cognitions (like goals), and emotions (like interests).
What do we consider indirect sources of motivation?
Includes external sources, like social and cultural contexts and environmental conditions. These factors can affect each of the internal causes of motivation, but they are not direct causes of motivation themselves.
What are the grand theories of motivation?
1) Instinct Theories
2) Drive Theories
3) Arousal Theories
4) Incentive Theories.
What is the main theme behind the grand drive theory?
This asserts that physiological deficits create psychological drives which motivate us to take action (and that’s where all motivation stems from).
What did Freud say in relation to the grand drive theory?
Tried to argue that it was all about anxiety. He asserted that something happens in our body (i.e., we get hungry), and then we experience that as psychological discomfort. Any time our body dips below a level of a resource that we need, then we get anxious. Once we’re anxious, we will do what we need to do to resolve that anxiety and deficit.
What did Hull say in relation to the grand drive theory?
He argued that it was more about reinforcement, learning, and habits. He claimed that something happened in our body, and we are going to do whatever feels good to help us get back to our natural state. Whatever makes us feel better after we respond to our deficit is going to be our reinforced pattern of behavior and that is going to become our habit.
What were the problems found with the grand drive theory of motivation?
1) Some motives do not have corresponding physiological needs.
2) External sources can motivate behavior too!
Note that not everything is motivated from bad emotions like this theory would suggest either.
What does the grand incentives theory assert?
Asserts that all motivation comes from external incentives or consequences. Every time we are motivated to do something, it is because we want something out of it or we are scared we are going to be punished if we do not do it.
What was the main problem with the grand incentive theory of motivation?
It’s simply not true! Incentives and consequences affect people differently, which tells us that external factors are not entirely the cause of motivation either.
What was the goal of the mini theories of motivation?
The goal was to explain smaller bits of motivation at a time. Sometimes it looks like breaking motivation down into different subjects, sometimes it means breaking it down into what causes, what sustains, etc.
What do the mini-theories have in common?
1) The person is an active, rather than passive, agent.
2) Focus is on the subjective experience of the person, and the interaction between a person and their environment.
3) Motivation scientists (finally) come together to seek answers to social-relevant questions.
How did motivation scientists overcome the cognitive revolution?
They brought cognition into motivation science. They use internal mental processes, such as goals, expectations, and beliefs, as explanations for motivation.
What are the five themes of motivation science?
1) Motivation is adaptive
2) We are not always aware of our motivation(s)
3) Motivation varies
4) There are types of motivations
5) Motivation needs supportive conditions to flourish.
What do we mean when we say that motivation is adaptive?
We mean that motivation is beneficial for our survival, functioning, and well-being. It also serves as a form of corrective action when things go wrong. Overall, when motivation is depleted, our well-being suffers; when motivation is abundant, our well-being flourishes.
What does it mean when we say that we are not always aware of our motivation(s)?
Pretty much as it sounds. People who really believe in this theme of motivation say that we might literally have no conscious awareness of our ability to access our motivation.
What do we mean when we say that motivation varies?
We mean that it varies over time and across individuals. Furthermore, as we have many motivations at any given time, the strongest motivation typically wins out.
What do we mean when we say that there are types of motivations?
Sometimes, it doesn’t matter “how much” motivation we have, but instead what type of motivation we have.
What do we mean when we say that motivation needs supportive conditions to flourish?
We need to take into account the influence that our conditions and our environment on how motivated we are. Sometimes just trying to change our mindset is not going to help us, for example.
Operational Definition
A concrete definition of an abstract concept (or construct).
What are the five ways that we can measure motivation?
1) Behavioral Measures
2) Physiological Measures
3) Brain Activity Measures
4) Self-Report Measures
5) Life Outcomes as Measures
What are examples of behavioral measures?
Can be something such as how long you work on an assignment. You are observing your persistence at a task or any other behavior indicator regarding the energy you are putting into something.
What are examples of psychological behavioral measures?
Measuring motivation by looking for physiological signatures of motivational states. For example, changes in heart rate or hormone fluctuations.
Psychophysiology
Process by which psychological states produce downstream changes in physiology.
What are examples of brain activity behavioral measures?
Measuring motivation by looking at whether brain activity is consistent with underlying motivational states. For example, you could use medical machines to monitor the electrical activity in the brain. (PET?)
What are examples of self-report behavioral measures?
Measuring motivation by simply asking people to report on their motivational states. Often, you have people take a survey and rate motivation on a scale, etc.
What are examples of using life outcomes as measures of motivation?
You are assuming the presence of motivation by looking at life outcomes that are affected by motivation:
1) Performance and achievement.
2) Learning and skill development
3) Well-being and adjustment.
Discuss the pros and cons of behavioral measures:
This measure is useful when you are tracking more straight-forward things. “Do homework” versus “Get healthier”. You also need to be able to distinguish between what is put into a particular task/goal and what the outcome is. For example, you can still be motivated to do well at something, but perform poorly.
Discuss the pros and cons of physiological measures and brain activity measures:
It can be very difficult to run these experiments and very specific technology is needed in order to actually get the measures. A lot of the data may also be correlational. You need to make sure whatever you are measuring actually measures what you are intending.
Discuss the pros and cons of self-report measures:
Depending on how you, as a person, and how self-aware you are, you can’t have a completely accurate self-report. Also, depending on who you are giving the report to will affect how you answer (honesty, etc).
Discuss the pros and cons of life outcomes measures:
Obviously to do something like graduate college you need to have motivation, but this measure doesn’t tell you anything about the amount or degree of motivation. There is no complexity involved.
According to the physiological drive theory, what is motivation?
Motivation in this theory is defined as a psychological drive state that arises from physiological needs.
Note that it is not the biological deficit itself that is causing the motivation. It is the psychological drive/state that the biological deficit causes that then leads to motivation.
Homeostasis
The body’s tendency to maintain a stable internal state.
Why does homeostasis matter in relation to the physiological drive theory?
When we experience a biological imbalance, a corresponding psychological drive state emerges. Usually this is a feeling of discomfort- the want that results to resolve the discomfort is the state of motivation.
Need
Condition within a person that is necessary for survival and well-being. Remember that this is a direct source of motivation- internal.
Physiological Need
Biological condition within a person that is necessary for survival and well-being. As a need deficit increases, the need increasingly captures our attention.
Psychological Drive State
Psychological discomfort stemming from underlying and persistent deficit in a physiological need.
Negative Feedback
Homeostasis’ physiological “stop” system. Lets our body know when we have reached a point of fullness, or satiety, for example.
What are the three themes of drive theory’s approach to motivation?
1) Increasing Deficit= Increasing Drive State
2) There are Multiple Inputs and Outputs in the Drive System
3) Biology is not the Only Thing Happening Here
What does it mean when we say that an increasing deficit= an increasing drive state?
As a physiological need becomes increasingly deficient, it captures more of our attention. Leads to a stronger motivational force and a stronger determinant of our behavior.
What is the problem with the theme that an increasing deficit means an increased drive state?
Doesn’t take into consideration will-power/self-control or addictions. Sometimes we can even get to the action without the previous driving forces. There are also external influences that can lead to behaviors, not necessarily because of a biological deficit, but because of social factors, etc.
What does it mean when we say that there are multiple inputs and outputs in the drive system?
There are multiple ways that we can become need-deficient, and there are multiple ways in which we can satisfy these needs.
What does it mean when we say that biology is not the only thing happening?
Even for motivational processes that seem simple, there are not really short-term and long-term biological considerations, but also psychological, environmental, and socio-cultural considerations that need to be taken into account.
What are some examples of complicating factors when it comes to the physiological drive theory and hunger?
Hunger only loosely follows a depletion-repletion pattern. There are short-term and long-term biological considerations as well as psychological, environmental, and social/cultural considerations.
Neuroscience
The scientific study of the nervous system.
What do motivational neuroscientists study?
1) How motivationally-related internal and external events activate brain structures.
2) How activated brain structures affect motivation and motivated behavior.
What determines whether we are motivated to approach or avoid a stimulus?
1) The nature of the stimulus; is it good or bad?
2) Our nervous system activation; are we stress or relaxed.
Spinal Reflexs
Represent basic patterns of response to the environment. Includes:
1) Flexor Reflexes
2) Extensor Reflexes
Flexor Reflexes
When we withdraw away from dangerous stimuli. I.e., think about how you would flex your foot away from the ground if something dangerous was there.
Extensor Reflexes
Enact approach toward appealing stimuli.
Subcortical Region
“Basic”. Represents motivation that is impulsive. Can think of it as representing basic types of processes that we refer to as “bottom-up”.
Cortical Region
“Classy”. We are not just reacting, but we are proactively trying to regulate our emotion towards some sort of plan we may have. It also helps regulate the reflexes from the subcortical region. This is out “top-down”.
Cortisol
Stress Hormone. Is higher when you are more stressed.
Oxytocin
Bonding hormone.