Emotion and Motivation

Motivation

The process that initiates, directs, and sustains goal-directed behavior.

Intrinsic Motivation

Engaging in a behavior for personal satisfaction or internal rewards.

Extrinsic Motivation

Performing an action to receive external rewards or avoid punishment.

Drive

A psychological state that motivates an organism to fulfill a need.

Drive-Reduction Theory

Suggests that physiological needs create an aroused state that drives an organism to reduce the need.

Homeostasis

The body’s tendency to maintain a balanced internal state.

Need

A requirement essential for survival or psychological well-being.

Incentive

External stimuli that motivate behavior by promising rewards or avoiding punishment.

Self-Determination Theory

Proposes that motivation stems from autonomy, competence, and relatedness.

Instinct Theory

Suggests that you are motivated to do something because your gut is telling you to do so.

Approach-Approach Conflict

Choosing between two desirable options.

Avoidance-Avoidance Conflict

Choosing between two undesirable options.

Approach-Avoidance Conflict

A situation with both positive and negative aspects.

Arousal Theory

People are motivated to maintain an optimal level of arousal; too much leads to stress, too little leads to boredom.

Yerkes-Dodson Law

Performance is best at a moderate level of arousal; too much or too little arousal impairs performance.

Sensation-Seeking Theory of Motivation

Some individuals have a higher need for thrilling and intense experiences.

Hunger

A physiological drive to eat, regulated by biological processes.

Hypothalamus

A brain structure involved in regulating hunger and other bodily functions.

Ghrelin

A hormone that stimulates hunger.

Leptin

A hormone that signals satiety and helps regulate body weight.

Satiety

The feeling of fullness that reduces the desire to eat.

Emotion

A complex reaction involving physiological arousal, expressive behaviors, and conscious experience.

Cognitive Appraisal

The personal interpretation of a situation that influences emotional responses.

Cognitive Labeling

Associating a physiological response with an emotional experience.

Broaden-and-Build Theory of Emotion

Positive emotions expand cognition and encourage problem-solving and creativity.

Facial Feedback

The idea that facial expressions can influence emotional experiences.