Lecture 2: Instincts and Drives

Question 1

Define Motivation

Answer 1

Force acting within an organism to give behavior its energy, direction, and persistence

Question 2

Energy is _____________
Direction is ______________
Persistence is ______________

Answer 2

Energy - strength and intensity of the behavior
Direction - specific goal or aim of the behavior
Persistence - behavior is sustained over time

Question 3

What were the two early grand theories of motivation?

Answer 3

Instincts and Drives

Question 4

What are instincts?

Answer 4

“Hardwired” or “programmed in” bits of behavior

Question 5

Two features of instincts:

Answer 5

1. Do not require learning
2. Occur in response to some environmental trigger
   
   1. E.g., Nest building in birds, web weaving in spiders, herding in corgis

Question 6

According to 1800/early 1900 psychologists, do humans have instincts?

Answer 6

Yes

Question 7

Why did the view of human instincts gain popularity? (2)

Answer 7

Influence of evolutionary theory
Functioned as means that allowed for bridging humans and evolutionary principles

Question 8

William James and his views: (4)

Answer 8

1. Instincts were similar to reflexes
2. Elicited by sensory stimuli
3. Occur blindly for the first time (outcome unknown)
   
   1. Subsequent behavior may change through experience
4. Variability in instincts and principles explaining them:
   
   1. Learning can inhibit instinct
   2. Some instincts are transitory (appear only at certain times) → Chicks bonding with a random object during the first day of life and the result being different if the same object appears later in life, e.g.

Question 9

William McDougall and his views: (2) + (3)

Answer 9

1. Instincts are the primary drivers of all human behavior
2. Every instinct consists of three components:
   
   1. Cognitive: Knowing of an object that can satisfy the instinct
   2. Affective: Feeling/emotion that the object arouses in the organism
   3. Conative: Striving toward or away from the object

Question 10

What were the criticisms of Early Instinct Theory (4)

Answer 10

1. No agreement concerning what types or how many instincts exist
2. Nominal Fallacy → Naming is not equal to explaining
3. Circular reasoning
4. Insufficient recognition of role of learning, lack of clear differentiation between instincts and learning

Question 11

What two fields were created as an evolution of the grand theory of motivated behavior?

Answer 11

Ethology and Evolutionary Psychology

Question 12

What does Ethology study?

Answer 12

Animal behavior in naturalistic settings

Question 13

Ethological observations are _____ and ______

Answer 13

Systematic and Objective

Question 14

Fixed action patterns in Ethology

Answer 14

Pre-programmed behaviors triggered by a specific stimulus and follow a predictable, fixed sequence

Question 15

What does evolutionary psych study

Answer 15

How evolutionary processes have shaped human mind and behavior

Question 16

Define natural selection

Answer 16

Process through which certain traits become more or less common in the population over time due to environmental pressures

Question 17

Three major components of natural selection

Answer 17

1. Variation
2. Heredity
3. Differential fitness

Question 18

Variation in Natural Selection

Answer 18

Individuals in a population may vary in traits

Question 19

Heredity in natural selection

Answer 19

Variation is passed down from parents to offspring

Question 20

Differential fitness in natural selection

Answer 20

Not all individuals in a population survive and reproduce equally

Question 21

Define adaptations

Answer 21

Traits that increase chances of survival and reproduction in a given environment

Question 22

Baby-like features are sign stimuli for eliciting ______ ______

Answer 22

Caregiving motivation

Question 23

Baby-faced adults are perceived as _____ more _____ and ______

Answer 23

Warmer, naive, weaker

Question 24

Why did responses to baby features evolve?

Answer 24

To ensure infants receive care and protection

Question 25

Types of selection (2)

Answer 25

1. Survival - Some adaptations increase the odds of survival 2. Sexual - Some adaptations increase the odds of securing a mate and reproducing

Question 26

Two types of sexual selection

Answer 26

Intersexual and Intrasexual

Question 27

Intrasexual selection is ....

Answer 27

Driven by competitions among individuals of the same sex

Question 28

Intersexual selection

Answer 28

Driven by mate choice

Question 29

What are three main roles of aggression as adaptation?

Answer 29

1. Defense against predators and adversaries (helps compete for limited resources) 2. Competition for mates (intrasexual selection) 3. Attracting mates (intersexual selection)

Question 30

Why are males more aggressive, from an evolutionary standpoint?

Answer 30

Greater need to compete for mates

Question 31

Dan is real horny and is given an option to blast another guy with a real loud noise, what is he likely to do? In what condition would the outcome be different?

Answer 31

He is likely to blast the other homie with a loud noise for a long period of time. If he were given an opportunity to assert social dominance, this behavior would not appear.

Question 32

What is a non-evolutionary explanation for male aggression?

Answer 32

Men are socialized according to social norms that encourage aggression

Question 33

Let's say you got two acquaintances who come from different cultures. One comes from Kyrgyzstan, where culture of honor is dominant, the other guy comes from LA. If you were to insult both of them or bump into both of them, how would they react?

Answer 33

Kyrgyz (culture of honor) guy would likely respond with anger and aggression since he would think that his rep is damaged LA guy would likely display less aggression

Question 34

Recall your Kyrgyz and LA acquaintances, how would they act in absence of threat?

Answer 34

Similarly

Question 35

You happened to murk someone in an honor-related situation. Bro needs to eat so you send your resume to different companies. One is from an area where culture of honor is dominant, the other one is from LA. What would be their responses?

Answer 35

Culture of honor company would be more likely to respond positively to you murking the guy

Question 36

Define Drive

Answer 36

Bodily deficits experienced psychologically as internal states, intended to restore homeostasis

Question 37

Two main categories of drive according to Freud

Answer 37

1. Eros - drive for life 2. Thanatos - drive for eternal rest

Question 38

Define drive according to Hull

Answer 38

Pooled energy source composed of all current bodily disturbances and deficits

Question 39

Key premises of Hull's drive theory (3)

Answer 39

1. Behavior is motivated by drive, habits direct the behavior 2. Habits are derived from learning 3. Incentive motivation - Quality or quantity of stimulus

Question 40

Limitations of drive approach

Answer 40

Not all motivations arise from physiological deficits - Humans deprive themselves of food to lose weight - Rats explore environments out of curiosity