Motivation and Emotion Flashcards
What is motivation?
the wants or needs that direct behaviour toward a goal
what is intrinsic motivation?
arises from internal factors
- behaviours are performed because they bring a sense of personal satisfaction
- autonomy, mastery, purpose
What is extrinsic motivation?
arises from external factors
- behaviours are performed in order to receive something from others
- compensation, punishment, reward
What is the overjustification effect?
intrinsic motivation is diminished when extrinsic motivation is given
- research suggests that when something we love to do, becomes our job, our intrinsic and extrinsic motivation to do it may change -> once we receive external motivation (eg payment) we may lose motivation to do it for enjoyment
- other research suggest the opposite , that certain types of reinforcement (eg praise) can increase intrinsic motivation
why are there differences in the overjustification effect?
may depend on the type of reinforcement
- tangible rewards appear to decrease intrinsic motivation
- intangible rewards appear to increase intrinsic motivation
may depend on the expectation of extrinsic reward
- intrinsic motivation is more likely to decrease if extrinsic reward is expected
What is the Instict theory of motivation?
- William James
- proposed that behaviour is driven by instincts (which aid survival)
- proposed instincts included mother’s protection of her baby, urge to lick sugar and hunting prey
- theory received criticism for ignoring the role of learning in shaping human behaviour
What is the drive theory of motivation?
proposed that the maintenance of homeostasis is important in direction behaviour
- deviations from homeostasis create physiological needs resulting in psychological drive states that direct behaviour to meet the need and bring the system back in homeostasis
- emphasizes the role of habits play in behavioural responses -> if behaviour successfully reduces a drive, we are more likely to engage in that behaviour in the future
what is the arousal theory of motivation?
asserts that there is an optimal level of arousal that we all try to maintain
- underaroused: boredom, seek stimulation
- overaroused: engage in behaviour to reduce it
research suggests that the optimal arousal level for performance is moderate arousal
What is the Yerkes-Dodson Law?
arousal theory of motivation
- the optimal arousal level depends on the complexity and difficulty of the task to be performed
-> task performance is best when arousal levels are in the middle range
- with difficult tasks best performed under lower level of arousal
- simple tasks best performed under higher levels of arousal
What is self-efficacy?
an individual’s belief in her own capability to complete a task
what did Bandura theorize?
that self-efficacy plays a role in motivating behaviour
- argues that motivation derives from expectations held about consequences of behaviours
- beliefs about our abilities will determine what we do and goals we set for ourselves
What are the social motives?
- need for achievement
drives accomplishment and performance - need for affiliation
encourages positive interactions with others - need for intimacy
causes us to seek deep, meaningful relationships
What is Maslow’s hierarchy of needs?
- maslow proposed a theory of motivation that spans the spectrum of motives including biological, individual and social
- one must satisfy lower-level needs before adressing the needs in higher level
Hierarchy:
- Self-actualisation : inner fulfillment
- Esteem : self-worth, accomplishment
- social: family, friends. intimacy
- security: safety, employment, assets
- physiological: food,water,warmth, shelter
what are the factors affecting body weight?
- gene-environment interactions
- number of calories consumed vs number of calories burned in daily activity
- metabolic rate (=amount of energy that is expended in a period of time -> varies individually, high metabolism = burns more calories)
What are the physiological mechanisms of hunger and eating?
before eating:
- empty stomach -> stomach contracts -> hunger pangs and secretion of chemical messengers that travel to the brain -> signals feeding behaviour
- low blood sugar -> pancreas and liver release chemical signals that induce hunger and initiate feeding behaviour
After eating:
- Satiation = feeling of fullness and satisfaction causing eating behaviour to stop
- increase in glucose level -> pancreas and liver signal to stop hunger and eating
- food in gastrointestinal tract -> satiety signal to the brain
- fat cells release leptin (satiety hormone)
What is the Set-Point Theory?
each individual has an ideal body weight/set point, which is resistant to change
- regulation of body weight
- set point is genetically determined
- efforts to move weight significantly from the set point are resisted by compensatory changes in energy intake/expenditure
- based on observation that people’s weight generally fluctuates within a narrow margin
- fails to account for the influences of social and environmental factors
What are the health risks of obesity?
- cardiovascular disease
- stroke
- type II diabetes
- breast cancer
- infertility
- arthritis
- liver disease
- sleep apnea
What are some possibilities for weight reduction?
- combination of diet and exercise
- bariatric surgery : gastric banding surgery
what is bulimia nervosa?
- engages in binge eating behaviour, follow by attempts to compensate for the large amount of food consumed
- compensation : vomiting, laxative, excessive exercise
- health consequences: kidney failure, heart failure, tooth decay
- psychological problems: depression, anxiety, increased risk for substance abuse
What is anorexia nervosa?
- maintenance of body weight below average through starvation or exercise
- distorted body image: view themselves as fat
- health consequences: bone loss, heart failure, kidney failure, amenorrhea (cessation of menstrual period), reduced functions of the gonads, severe cases death
- psychological problems: anxiety, mood disorder, substance abuse
which group has the highest risk for eating disorders?
-> caucasian females, age 15-19, western society
- many blame the media for the thin ideal
- genetics may predispose people to disorders
- low-selfesteem, other mental illnesses
- stress
- experiences such as abuse
- personality types
- family issues
what are the psychological mechanisms for sexual behaviour?
- hypothalamus:
- amygdala and nucleus accumbens
What is the role of the hypothalamus in sexual behaviour?
- hypothalamus:
lesions in medial preoptic area completely disrupts a male rat’s ability to engage in sexual behaviour, but not sexual motivation -> suggests that the ability to engage and the motivation are mediated by different systems
humans: disorders that involve abnormal hypothalamic functions are often associated with hypogonadism and reduced sexual function
- testosterone from endocrine glands influence sexual motivation and behaviour
What are the roles of amygdala and ncl accumbens in sexual behaviour?
- motivation for sexual behaviour, but doesnt affect the ability to engage
- damage in rats result in decreased motivation to engage, while ability to do so is still in tact
