motivation Flashcards
motivation is a need or desire that:
1) energizes behaviour and
2) directs it towards a goal
why are we motivated to do anything?
pain and pleasure
theories of motivation
1) instinct
2) drive-reduction
3) arousal
4) hierarchy of needs
instincts
complex behaviours that have fixed patterns throughout different species and are not learned
strength of instinct theory
consistent with animal literature
weaknesses of instinct theory
- thousands or instincts needed to explain human behaviour
- more so labelling than explaining
drive-reduction theory
- a physiological need creates an aroused tension state (drive) -> motivates an organism to satisfy the need
- either pushed by needs or pulled by incentives
weakness of drive-reduction theory
- some things that cannot be explained such as:
- curiousity
- play
- hobbies
- binge-watching tv
- etc.
optimum arousal
we seek optimum levels of arousal
- too little = boredom
- too much = stress
weaknesses of optimum arousal theory
why do we sometimes seek intensive arousal experiences or super low arousal experiences
hunger comes first study
- fed participants half of typical food intake for 6 months
- lost interest in social activities, love
- became obsessed with food, food related tv scenes
- basically ed.
hierarchy of motives indigenous influence and alternatives
- felt social hierarchies were maintained by dominance
- felt self-actualization was the norm, not the exception
- some blackfoot scholars felt maslow’s hierarchy was missing community and cultural community
biology of hunger
- stomach contractions
- glucose levels
- hypothalamus
- lateral hypothalamus increases hunger
- lower mid-hypothalamus depresses hunger
psychology of hunger
memory
- amnesia patients eat frequently if given food
taste
- influenced both by body chemistry and environment/culture
eating disorders
- drive for thinness, idealizing thinness
biology of sexual motivation
estrogen and testosterone
psychology of sexual motivation
- external stimuli: what we see, read, hear, etc
- imagined stimuli
predictors of sexual restraint among adolescents
- intelligence
- religiosity
- father presence (for girls)
- volunteering
biology of sexual orientation
in homosexual men…
- anterior hypothalamus is smaller
- anterior commissure is larger
genetics of sexual orientation
- Family: homosexuality seems to run in families
- Twin Studies: identical twin is more likely than a fraternal twin to share co-twin’s homosexuality
- Fruit Flies: females can be genetically engineered to act like males during courtship, and males like females
fraternal brother effect
as number of older brothers increases, the possibility that the younger brother will be gay increases
prenatal hormones and sexual orientation
- Animals: exposure of a female sheep fetus to testosterone results in homosexual behaviour
- Humans: exposure of a male or female fetus to female hormones results in attraction to males
separation from others ___ our need to belong
increases
motivation and work
in industrialized countries, work and satisfaction with life go hand-in-hand
industrial-organizational (I/O) psychology
- principles of selecting and evaluating workers
- how work environments and management styles influence worker motivation, satisfaction, and productivity
- effective leadership
