lec 12: motivation Flashcards
define motivation.
the process by which activities are started, directed and continued so that physical and psychological wants and needs are met
state 2 extrinsic motivators.
- money
- food
- awards
- sex
- praise
extrinsic vs intrinsic motivation
- extrinsic motivation is the desire to engage in an activity to achieve external consequences, like a reward
- intrinsic motivation is the desire to engage in an activity to achieve an internal psychological need and for our own sake
what is “need for achievement” under McClelland’s theory?
(n Ach) - the mental state that produces a psychological motive to excel in something or reach a goal
what is McClelland’s theory of psychological needs?
- need for achievement - desire to excel in something/reach a goal
- need for power - desire to have control/influence over others
- need for affiliation - desire for friendly social interactions and relationships with others
how does reward affect motivation adversely?
- overjustification is a process whereby extrinsic rewards replace intrinsic motivation in an activity (a child received extra pocket money for playing videogames)
- takes the fun out of doing things that are initially done due to intrinsic motivations like pleasure
- applies only when the quality of the job is disregarded
- Lepper’s study - children getting certs for drawings vs those that did not receive any reward
describe 3 major effects of rewards on motivation.
- rewards motivate people to do things they would otherwise not do (study, housework)
- rewards add to intrinsic motivation, when they are given based on performance
- rewards hinders intrinsic motivation, when they are given regardless of performance/quality
why do psychologists find the concept of motivation useful?
- connects observable behaviour to internal states
- accounts for variability in behaviours
- explains perseverence despite adversity
- relates biology to behaviour
what replaced Instinct Theory and why?
- fixed-action patterns replaced instinct theory
- instinct theory states that certain behaviours are completely determined by innate factors
- “instint” became a label instead of explanation for behaviour, thus “fixed-action pattern” preferred
- fixed-action pattern refers to genetically based behaviours (not learned) seen across species that can be set off by certain stimuli
- both these terms do not account for “learned behaviours”
define biological drive and state the drive theory.
- a state that motivates an organism to satisfy a biological need like thirst
- drive theory explains the motivation to satisfy a biological need, and returns the organism to a state of homeostasis
define homeostasis
the body’s tendency to maintain a biologically balanced condition, especially wrt nutients, water and temperature.
what is a need and what is a drive?
need: requirement of some material essential for survival
drive: in the presence of a need, drive is the psychological tension and physical arousal that motivates an organism to fulfill that need and reduce the tension
state the drive reduction theory.
the drive reduction theory assumes that an organism’s behaviour arises from its internal drives to satisfy a need, to reduce psychological tension and physical arousal.
state 2 primary drives.
- hunger
- thirst
state 2 secondary/acquired drives.
- money
- good grades
what is the arousal thoery?
states that people have an optimal level of tension they aim to maintain by increasing/decreasing stimulation
- increase arousal when arousal falls below optimum and vice versa
- optimal levels vary across individuals
what is the r/s between arousal and performance?
Yerkes-Dodson law, aka, “inverted-U” function of arousal
- as slope increases on graph - performance and arousal increase together (increasing alertness, interest and positive emotion)
- at peak - optimal lvl of arousal = best performance
- as slope decreases on graph - performance decreases as arousal increases (agitation and anxiety impair performance)
what is self-transcendence?
- higher order need that Masow incorporated into his Hierarchy of Needs
- aesthetic and cognitive needs - appreciation of beauty, exploration
what does Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs fail to explain in motivation?
- why people take thier own lives
- why we choose to do things that override safety or basic needs (eg. parachute, missing a meal for a good movie)
- ignores sex drive
describe the evolutionary revision of Maslow’s hierarchy. (what are changes in priorities determined by)
priorities change and are determined by:
- functional factors - adaptive functions in terms of survival and reproduction (mating and parenting)
- proximal factors - proximal stimulus in environment may shift motivational priorities to a new level (esteem/respect)
- developmental factors - development change may shift motivational priorities to a new level (esteem/respect)
*everything on the pyramid stays the same, except that self-actualising become “mating and parenting”
describe the brain mechanisms controlling hunger and eating
hypothalamus is the nerve center for hunger, with one region activating it and another dampening it.
- brain stem works with hypothalamus to monitor blood sugar, nutrients in the gut and fat stores, using a suite of receptors and chemical messengers.
define set point.
- refers to tendency of body to maintain a certain level of body fat and weight
*specialised fat cells fals below a certain level, triggers eating
*the chemical leptin signals when the set point has been reached; animals lacking leptin continue to eat after set point has been reached and they are not hungry
*the chemical ghrelin signals hunger
name some biological hunger mechanisms (biological factors affecting hunger).
- brain mechanisms - hypothalamus is the nerve center for hunger, with one side activating it and another side dampening it. brain stem works with hypothalamus to monitor blood sugar, nutrients in gut and fat stores using receptors and chemical messengers.
- set point (homeostatic) mechanisms - body wants to maintain a certain level of fat and weight. when specialised fat cells fall below certain level, triggers hunger. the chemical leptin signals fullness while chemical ghrelin signals hunger.
- stomach pressure - feelings of fullness or emptiness detected in stomach. these messages are sent to brain where they combine with info about blood nutients and status of body’s fat cells.
- reward system preferences - we prefer sweet and fatty foods due to the high calorie content as preferred by our ancestors, as opposed to bitter and sour foods.
- exercise - extreme exercise stimulates hunger while moderate exercise surpresses it
what are some environmental and social factors of hunger?
initiates eating:
1. preference for certain diets
2. emotion-induced eating
3. eating to prevent hunger later
4. culture/habitual influence
5. eating stimulated by presence of food
6. social eating
7. conditioned cues (watching tv)
prevents eating:
1. portion size
2. foods associated with disgust
3. religious reasons
4. emotion-inhibiting eating
5. cultural pressures towards slimness and dieting
