Motivation, Emotion, and Stress Flashcards
(69 cards)
instinct theory/evolutionary perspective
we are motivated by our inborn automated behaviors
unlearned behaviors that have a fixed pattern throughout a species
primarily applies to animals
drive reduction theory
behavior is motivated by physiological needs
these physiological needs create physiological drives
your body’s goal is to maintain homeostasis (pH and pOH balance)
push factor
our physiological need to reduce drives (internal)
pull factor
incentive environmental stimuli that motivate behavior (external)
arousal theory
we are motivated to seek an optimum level of arousal
if our drives are being met, we are more motivated to engage in behavior not related to physiological drives
Yerkes-Dodson Law
a moderate amount of stress or anxiety increases our performance
Maslow’s hierarchy of needs
describes our motivation for certain behaviors
stomach contractions
accompany our feelings of hunger, but hunger remains if stomach is removed, therefore hunger does not come solely from the stomach
blood sugar glucose
our hormone insulin naturally uses glucose (a blood sugar in our bodies) for a variety of functions
when our glucose gets too low, our brain will trigger hunger
brain basis of hunger
stimulation to lateral hypothalamus increases hunger
(LH = Large Hunger)
stimulation to ventromedial hypothalamus decreases hunger
stomach hormones
a hormone that increases hunger is ghrelin
hormones that decrease hunger include obestatin, PYY, and Leptin
set point theory
your body acts like a “weight thermostat”
you experience changes in hunger and metabolism when your body rises above or falls below your set weight
metabolism
body’s rate of energy expenditure
obesity
severely overweight to the point it causes health issues
bulimia nervosa
characterized by binging and purging
anorexia nervosa
starve/exercise themselves to below 85% of natural body weight (see themselves as fat)
what causes eating disorders?
genetics, body dissatisfaction, western cultures idolize thin
kinsey studies
interviewed almost 20,000 people in the 1940s and 1950s about their sexual behavior
masters and johnson study
during the late 50s and early 60s, they attaches people to recording equipment and measured physiological responses during sex and masturbation
they determined the human sexual response cycle
sexual response cycle
stages: excitement, plateau, orgasm, resolution (with refraction periods)
the psychology of sex
despite stereotypes, both men and women become aroused to seeing, hearing, and reading erotic material
the more an individual views sexually violent media, the more their acceptance of rape and willingness to hurt women increases
viewing images of sexually attractive men and women tends to make people devalue their own partners
this also applies to viewing pornography/devaluing your own sex life
adolescent sexuality
compared with European teens, American teens have a lower rate of contraceptive use, a higher rate of teen pregnancy, and a higher rate of abortion Why?
ignorance, guilt about sex, alcohol use, mass media
sexual orientation
- the enduring attraction toward another person
- no link between environment and sexual orientation
- therefore sexual orientation is likely biologically determined
- Simon LeVay determined there were hypothalamus cluster size differences between heterosexuals and homosexuals
- later research showed general brain hemisphere size differences in different orientations
- homosexuality does appear to run in families
- hormone levels in the prenatal environment have also been shown to affect orientation
need for achievement
this area measures your need to achieve success in life
people with high need in this area like moderately difficult tasks
