ap psych unit 8 (mesh)

motivation

a need or desire that energizes and directs behavior

instinct

a complex behavior that is rigidly patterned throughout a species and is unlearned

physiological need

a basic bodily requirement

drive-reduction theory

the idea that a physiological need creates an aroused tension state (a drive) that motivates an organism to satisfy the need

incentive theory

the idea that a physiological need creates an aroused tension state (a drive) that motivates an organism to satisfy the need

sensation seeking theory

A theory that proposes that one's level of need for varied or novel experiences is the basis of motivation

yerkes-dodson law

the principle that performance increases with arousal only up to a point, beyond which performance decreases

self-determination theory

the theory that we feel motivated to satisfy our needs for competence, autonomy, and relatedness

intrinsically motivated

a desire to perform a behavior effectively for its own sake

extrinsically motivated

a desire to perform a behavior to receive promised rewards or avoid threatened punishment

ostracism

deliberate social exclusion of individuals or groups

achievement motivation

a desire for significant accomplishment: for mastery of things, people, or ideas; for attaining a high standard

glucose

the form of sugar that circulates in the blood and provides the major source of energy for body tissues. When its level is low, we feel hunger.

ghrelin

A hunger-arousing hormone secreted by an empty stomach

orexin

hunger-triggering hormone secreted by hypothalamus

leptin

A hormone produced by adipose (fat) cells that acts as a satiety factor in regulating appetite.

PYY

digestive tract hormone; sends "I'm not hungry" signals to the brain

set point

the point at which an individual's "weight thermostat" is supposedly set. When the body falls below this weight, an increase in hunger and a lowered metabolic rate may act to restore the lost weight.

basal metabolic rate

the body's resting rate of energy expenditure

obesity

bmi of 30 or higher

emotion

a response of the whole organism, involving (1) physiological arousal, (2) expressive behaviors, and (3) conscious experience

William James & Carl Lange

emotion results from attention to our bodily activity

Cannon & Bard

body's responses are too similar and change too slowly to cause the different emotions

2-factor

emotions depend on both physiological arousal and a cognitive interpretation or evaluation of that arousal.

spillover effect

physiological arousal can "spill" from one person to another

LeDoux & Zajonc

some emotions take a more direct "low road"

low road

thalamus to amygdala

high road

thalamus to hippocampus to amygdala

Richard Lazarus

it is not the situation itself that triggers emotions, but how we appraise the situation

Carroll Izard's 10 basic emotions

joy, interest-excitement, surprise, sadness, anger, disgust, contempt, fear, shame, guilt

polygraph

a machine, commonly used in attempts to detect lies, that measures several of the physiological responses accompanying emotion (such as perspiration and cardiovascular and breathing changes).

facial feedback effect

the tendency of facial muscle states to trigger corresponding feelings such as fear, anger, or happiness

behavior feedback effect

the tendency of behavior to influence our own and others' thoughts, feelings, and actions

health psychology

a subfield of psychology that provides psychology's contribution to behavioral medicine

psychoneuroimmunology

the study of how psychological, neural, and endocrine processes together affect the immune system and resulting health

eustress

A positive stress that energizes a person and helps a person reach a goal

distress

stress that is negative and debilitating

approach-approach

choosing between two desirable options

avoidance-avoidance

choosing between two undesirable options

approach-avoidance

a choice must be made about whether to pursue a single goal that has both attractive and unattractive aspects

general adaptation syndrome

body's adaptive response to stress in 3 phases (alarm, resistance, exhaustion)

phase 1

alarm reaction- sympathetic nervous system is activated

phase 2

resistance- temperature, blood pressure, respiration remain high. adrenal glands pump hormones into your bloodstream. fully engaged summoning all your resources to meet the challenge

phase 3

exhaustion- body reserves run out

tend-and-befriend reponse

under stress, people may nurture themselves and others, bond, and seek support from others

coronary heart disease

the clogging of the vessels that nourish the heart muscle; the leading cause of death in many developed countries

type a personality

personality type that describes people who are competitive, driven, hostile, and ambitious

type b personality

Personality characterized by relatively relaxed, patient, easygoing, amicable behavior.

catharsis

the process of releasing, and thereby providing relief from, strong or repressed emotions.

coping

alleviating stress using emotional, cognitive, or behavioral methods

problem-focused coping

Attempting to alleviate stress directly by changing the stressor or the way we interact with that stressor.

emotion-focused coping

attempting to alleviate stress by avoiding or ignoring a stressor and attending to emotional needs related to one's stress reaction

personal control

our sense of controlling our environment rather than feeling helpless

learned helplessness

the hopelessness and passive resignation an animal or human learns when unable to avoid repeated aversive events

external locus of control

the perception that chance or outside forces beyond your personal control determine your fate.

internal locus of control

the perception that you control your own fate

self-control

the ability to control impulses and delay short-term gratification for greater long-term rewards

positive psychology

the scientific study of optimal human functioning; aims to discover and promote strengths and virtues that enable individuals and communities to thrive

subjective well-being

self-perceived happiness or satisfaction with life. Used along with measures of objective well-being (for example, physical and economic indicators) to evaluate people's quality of life.

feel-good, do-good phenomenon

people's tendency to be helpful when already in a good mood

adaptation-level phenomenon

our tendency to form judgments (of sounds, of lights, of income) relative to a neutral level defined by our prior experience

relative deprivation

the perception that one is worse off relative to those with whom one compares oneself

broaden-and-build theory

theory proposing that happiness predisposes us to think more openly

resilience

the personal strength that helps most people cope with stress and recover from adversity and even trauma

aerobic exercise

sustained exercise that increases heart and lung fitness; may also alleviate depression and anxiety

biofeedback

a system for electronically recording, amplifying, and feeding back information regarding a subtle physiological state, such as blood pressure or muscle tension

mindfulness meditation

a reflective practice in which people attend to current experiences in a nonjudgmental and accepting manner

gratitude

an appreciative emotion people often experience when they benefit from other's actions or recognize their own good fortune.

faith factor

religiously active people tend to live longer than those who are not religiously active