motivation overall

Motivation

The process that directs and energizes behavior toward a goal

Homeostasis

The body's tendency to maintain a stable internal state by regulating biological conditions

Drive-Reduction Theory

The idea that biological needs create uncomfortable drives that motivate behavior to restore homeostasis

Need

A biological or psychological requirement that creates a drive when unmet

Drive

A state of tension caused by an unmet need that pushes an organism to take action

Optimal Arousal Theory

The idea that people are motivated to maintain an ideal level of stimulation or alertness

Yerkes-Dodson Law

The principle that performance peaks at a moderate level of arousal

Arousal

A state of physiological and psychological activation or alertness

Self-Determination Theory

The theory that motivation is strongest when people feel autonomy

Intrinsic Motivation

Motivation driven by internal rewards like enjoyment or personal satisfaction

Autonomy

The need to feel in control of one's own behavior and choices

Competence

The need to feel effective and capable when interacting with one's environment

Relatedness

The need to feel connected and have meaningful relationships with others

Incentive Theory

The idea that external rewards or stimuli pull people toward certain behaviors

Extrinsic Motivation

Motivation driven by external rewards such as money

Overjustification Effect

When external rewards decrease a person's intrinsic motivation for an already enjoyable activity

Instinct Theory

The evolutionary view that certain behaviors are biologically programmed and automatically triggered by specific stimuli

Humans and Instincts

Unlike most animals

most human behavior is shaped by learning and culture

Lewin's Motivational Conflicts Theory

A framework describing the psychological tension that occurs when a person faces competing goals

Approach-Approach Conflict

A conflict between two desirable options where choosing one means giving up the other

Approach-Avoidance Conflict

A conflict where a single goal has both attractive and unattractive qualities

Avoidance-Avoidance Conflict

A conflict between two undesirable options where one must still be chosen

Sensation-Seeking Theory

The theory that some individuals are motivated by the need for varied

Experience Seeking

A form of sensation seeking involving seeking novelty through travel

Thrill and Adventure Seeking

A form of sensation seeking involving risky physical activities like skydiving or extreme sports

Disinhibition

A form of sensation seeking involving social risk-taking such as partying or impulsive behavior

Boredom Susceptibility

A form of sensation seeking marked by restlessness and intolerance of routine or repetition

Belongingness

The fundamental human need to form close

Lateral Hypothalamus

The brain region that signals hunger

damage leads to reduced eating

Ventromedial Hypothalamus

The brain region that signals satiety

damage leads to overeating

Ghrelin

A hormone that signals hunger to the brain

Leptin

A hormone released by fat cells that signals fullness and suppresses appetite

Glucose

Blood sugar that serves as a key signal for hunger when levels drop

Body-Fat Set Point

The weight range the body tries to maintain by adjusting hunger and metabolism

External Factors and Hunger

Environmental cues such as the presence of food

Anorexia Nervosa

An eating disorder characterized by severely restricted food intake

Bulimia Nervosa

An eating disorder characterized by cycles of binge eating followed by purging behaviors to prevent weight gain

Causes of Eating Disorders

Eating disorders can result from a combination of biological

Emotion

A response involving physiological arousal

Physiological Arousal in Emotion

The activation of the sympathetic nervous system and related brain structures and neurochemicals during an emotional experience

James-Lange Theory

The theory that physiological arousal occurs first and the conscious emotion follows from interpreting that arousal

Cannon-Bard Theory

The theory that physiological arousal and the conscious experience of emotion occur simultaneously and independently

Schachter-Singer Two-Factor Theory

The theory that emotion requires both physiological arousal and a cognitive label identifying the cause of that arousal

Lazarus Cognitive Appraisal Theory

The theory that a conscious cognitive evaluation of a situation must occur before an emotion is experienced

Zajonc's Theory

The theory that emotional reactions can occur immediately via a thalamus-to-amygdala pathway without conscious thought or cognitive appraisal

Facial-Feedback Hypothesis

The idea that facial expressions can influence the emotions a person actually feels

Transferred Excitation

The phenomenon where residual physiological arousal from one event is misattributed to and intensifies emotion in a new situation

Broaden-and-Build Theory

The theory that positive emotions expand thinking and help build lasting skills

Universal Emotions

Emotions commonly recognized across cultures

Nucleus Accumbens

The brain region associated with positive emotions and the experience of pleasure and reward

Display Rules

Culturally specific norms that govern how

Display Rules and Elicitors

Factors such as gender

Positive Psychology

The scientific study of human strengths

Subjective Well-Being

A person's own assessment of their happiness and life satisfaction

Gratitude as Subjective Experience

The personal feeling of appreciation for positive aspects of one's life

Character Strengths

Positive traits identified by positive psychology that reflect a person's core values and ways of engaging with the world

Courage as Character Strength

The capacity to act on one's values despite fear or difficulty

Humanity as Character Strength

Strengths involving caring for and connecting with others

Justice as Character Strength

Strengths promoting healthy community life

Temperance as Character Strength

Strengths that protect against excess

Transcendence as Character Strength

Strengths that connect a person to meaning beyond themselves

Posttraumatic Growth

Positive psychological change that emerges as a result of struggling with a highly challenging or traumatic life event

Posttraumatic Growth as Subjective Experience

The personal perception that one has grown