Foundations of Motive Psychology

These flashcards cover key concepts from the study of motives and emotional psychology, providing definitions for crucial terms identified in the lecture notes.

Motive

A need or want that directs behaviour toward a goal, propelling people to perceive, think, and act in ways that satisfy a need.

Drive

An internal state that arouses and directs behaviour toward a specific object or goal, resulting from a need.

Homeostasis

The state of balance in the body.

Instinct

An unlearned behaviour that is automatic.

Need

A state of tension within a person caused by unfulfilled wants or requirements.

Self-Actualisation

The highest need in Maslow's hierarchy, representing the desire for personal growth and the development of full potential.

Need for Achievement

The desire to do better, be successful, and feel competent, often preferring moderate challenges.

Need for Power

A preference for having an impact on others, associated with argumentativeness and assertiveness.

Need for Intimacy

The preference for warm, close, and communicative interactions with others.

Incentive

The motivational properties of a reinforcer that pull a person toward an external goal.

Delay Discounting

The diminishing value of a future incentive when there is a delay in receiving the reinforcer.

Performance-approach goal orientation

The desire to demonstrate ability relative to others and to prove self-worth publicly.

Binge Eating

A discrete period of eating an amount of food larger than normal, accompanied by a sense of lack of control.

Bulimia Nervosa

An eating disorder characterized by recurrent episodes of binge eating followed by inappropriate compensatory behaviours.

Amygdala

A part of the limbic system involved in the regulation of emotions and the memory for the emotional significance of experiences.

Facial Feedback Hypothesis

The theory that facial expressions can influence emotional experiences.

Propinquity Effect

The tendency for people to become friends with those whom they see and interact with frequently.

Mere Exposure Effect

The finding that increased exposure to a stimulus leads to increased liking of that stimulus.