Unit 10: Motivation, Emotion, and Stress Flashcards
Instinct/Revolutionary Theories
The idea that certain motivations are passed on via evolution, most commonly behaviors that maximize reproductive success, as well as dominance, aggression, achievement, and affiliation.
Homeostasis
A state of psychological balance (Ex: You’re well-rested, healthy, hydrated, relaxed, perfectly balanced).
Drive-Reduction Theory
The belief that physiological needs drive an organism to act in either random or habitual ways until its needs are satisfied.
Clark Hull
American Psychologist who created the Drive-Reduction Theory.
Columbian Obstruction Box
An experiment in which a rat was tested to see how many times it was willing to cross over an electric plate to satisfy its needs, proving that maternal needs are the strongest over other survival instincts.
Drives (Pushes)
Internal physical motivations. The most common drives are Maternal, Thirst, Hunger, Reproduction, and Curiosity.
Incentives (Pulls)
External motivations that emphasize now on rewards or avoiding punishments (Ex: Coca-Cola or a Big Mac).
Lateral Hypothalamus
Initiates food eating behavior (The “go” signal to eat).
Ventromedial Hypothalamus
Provides the stop signals for eating.
Paraventricular Nucleus/Hypothalamus
In charge of hunger regulation (Ex: If injured, a rat will eat larger portions of each feeding).
Set Point
Body Monitors fat-cell levels to keep them level (Ex: essentially to keep homeostasis in the body).
Settling Point
Weight can change depending on changes in food consumption and energy expenditure (Ex: Set point can settle for obese individuals, meaning they can create a new set point at a higher weight than before).
Glucostatic Theory
Neurons (Glucostats) are brain sensitive to glucose/sugar.
Insulin
A hormone released from the Pancreas that, when released, causes hunger. It is possible that insulin release is related to food sight and smell.
Lipostatic Theory
The idea that the body maintains a stable level of body fat by regulating appetite through signals from fat cells.
Ghrelin
A hormone in your stomach that acts as a signal to stimulate appetite.
Androgen (Testosterone)
A type of hormone that is considered the primary male sex hormone.
Estrogen
A type of hormone that is considered the primary female sex hormone.
Alfred Kinsey
Created the Kinsey Scale; a visual model used to describe one’s sexual orientation at a given time, 0 signifying exclusive heterosexuality, and a 6 signifying exclusive homosexuality.
Intrinsic Motivation
Inside psychological motivation. Doing something because you like the activity.
Extrinsic Motivation
Outside psychological motivation. Doing something because of external demands or rewards for your efforts.
Affiliation Motive
A person’s psychological need to feel connected to others, to belong to a group, and to establish and maintain positive relationships with others.
Achievement Motive
A person’s drive and desire to achieve success and excel in their endeavors.
David McClelland’s Study
McClelland’s study found that high achievers are not always interesting or artistically sensitive, are less likely to value intimacy in relationships, and prefer to associate with experts who will help them achieve instead of associate with more friendly people.
Fear of Success
The idea that someone is so afraid of achieving their goals or reaching high level of success that they might subconsciously sabotage themselves.
Matina Horner
An American psychologist who created the concept of “Fear of Success.”
Yerkes-Dodson Law
States that for easy tasks, the higher the level of physiological or mental arousal, the higher the performance.
Flow
The state of being completely involved in the activity; “It feels like one is being carried away by the current.” Defines by serenity, timelessness, inner clarity, and sense of ecstasy.
Sensation Seeking
The tendency to search out and engage in thrilling activities as a method of increasing stimulation and arousal. This can be dangerous, as it can make people take unnecessary risks.
Opponent Processing Theory
The idea that when experiencing a strong emotion, an opposing emotion is triggered shortly after, causing a temporary “after-feeling” that often lasts longer than the initial emotion (Ex: Feeling excitement after fear when skydiving).
The Three Components of Emotions
Cognitive, Physiological, and Behavioral.
Cognitive/Conscious Emotions
Our thoughts and interpretations about a situation shape our emotional experience.
Physiological Changes in Emotion
Autonomic arousal (Heart rate, breathing, blood pressure, eye dilation), Visceral arousal (Butterflies/Knot in stomach), and Galvanic Skin Response (GSR).
Polygraph
A lie detector that measures Physiological Changes in Emotion to tell is somebody is telling the truth or is lying.
Galvanic Skin Response (GSR)
An increase in the electrical activity of the skin from sweat.
Behavioral Changes in Emotion
Facial expressions that convey emotions, such as Joy, Sadness, Disgust, Anger, Fear, and Surprise.
Paul Ekman
An American Psychologist who created the Universalist Theory.
Universalist Theory
The idea that the facial expressions used to convey emotions are the same across the world and are biological regardless of culture (Ex: People will raise their eyebrows and open their mouth when surprised regardless of their geographical location or culture).
Display Rules
A set of socially learned norms that dictate how and when individuals should express their emotions in a given situation (Ex: Crying in the middle of class is embarrassing and is inappropriate for the situation).
Facial Feedback Hypothesis
The idea that the physical act of making a facial expression can directly influence and shape one’s emotional experience (Ex: Looking happier can make you and others around you feel happier).
Frustration
A type of stress brought about when the pursuit of a goal is interrupted/thwarted (Ex: Breakups, no promotion, college rejection letter, etc.)
Conflict
Having to choose between two or more incompatible motivations/behaviors.
Approach-Approach Conflict
Having to choose between two or more good things.
Avoidance-Avoidance Conflict
Having to choose between two or more bad things.
Approach-Avoidance Conflict
Having to choose between two or more things that are simultaneously good and bad.
Change
An alteration in one’s living circumstances that can cause stress.
Pressure
Expectations or demands that can change behavior (Ex: Dress code, performance, deadlines).
General Adaptation Syndrome
The body’s response to stress. Falls into three stages:
1. Alarm (Fight/Flight Response)
2. Resistance (Physiological stability, increased coping)
3. Exhaustion (Depleted resources, collapse, diseases of adaptation)
Hans Seyle
Psychologist who exposed animals to an array of physical and psychological stressors to test General Adaptation Syndrome.
Type A Personality
Ambitious, hard-driving perfectionist. Traits include a strong competitive orientation, impatience & time urgency, and anger & hostility.
Type B Personality
Relatively relaxed. Traits include patience, easy-going, and amicable behavior.
Psychosomatic Illness
A physical condition that stress can help cause or make worse (Ex: getting sick right after finals).
