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 state (a drive) that motivates an organism to satisfy the need
homeostasis
a tendency to maintain a balanced or constant internal state; the regulation of any aspect of body chemistry, such as blood glucose, around a particular level
incentive
a positive or negative environmental stimulus that motivates behavior
Yerkes-Dodson law
the principle that performance increases with arousal only up to a point, beyond which performance decreases
hierarchy of needs
Maslow's pyramid of human needs, beginning at the base with physiological needs that must first be satisfied before higher-level safety needs and then psychological needs become active
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
set point
the point at which your "weight thermostat" may be set. When your body falls below this weight, increased hunger and a lowered metabolic rate may combine to restore lost weight
basal metabolic rate
the body's resting rate of energy output
obesity
defined as a body mass index (BMI) measurement of 30 or higher. (Overweight individuals have a BMI of 25 or higher.)
asexual
having no sexual attraction to others
testosterone
the most important male sex hormone
estrogens
sex hormones, such as estradiol, that contribute to female sex characteristics and are secreted in greater amounts by females than by males
sexual response cycle
the four stages of sexual responding described by Masters and Johnson—excitement, plateau, orgasm, and resolution
refractory period
in human sexuality, a resting period that occurs after orgasm, during which a person cannot achieve another orgasm
affiliation need
the need to build relationships and to feel part of a group
ostracism
deliberate social exclusion of individuals or groups
narcissism
excessive self-love and self-absorption
achievement motivation
a desire for significant accomplishment, for mastery of skills or ideas, for control, and for attaining a high standard
grit
in psychology, passion and perseverance in the pursuit of long-term goals
emotion
a response of the whole organism, involving (1) physiological arousal, (2) expressive behaviors, and (3) conscious experience
James-Lange theory
the theory that our experience of emotion is our awareness of our physiological responses to an emotion-arousing stimulus: stimulus S arousal S emotion
Cannon-Bard theory
the theory that an emotion-arousing stimulus simultaneously triggers (1) physiological responses and (2) the subjective experience of emotion
two factor theory
the Schachter-Singer theory that to experience emotion one must (1) be physically aroused and (2) cognitively label the arousal
polygraph
a machine used in attempts to detect lies that measures several of the physiological responses (such as perspiration, heart rate, and breathing changes) accompanying emotion
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
stress
the process by which we perceive and respond to certain events, called stressors, that we appraise as threatening or challenging
general adaptation syndrome
Selye's concept of the body's adaptive response to stress in three phases—alarm, resistance, exhaustion
tend and befriend response
under stress, people (especially women) often provide support to others (tend) and bond with and seek support from others (befriend)
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
coronary heart disease
the clogging of the vessels that nourish the heart muscle; the leading cause of death in many developed countries
Type A
Friedman and Rosenman's term for competitive, hard-driving, impatient, verbally aggressive, and anger-prone people
Type B
Friedman and Rosenman's term for easygoing, relaxed people
catharsis
in psychology, the idea that "releasing" aggressive energy (through action or fantasy) relieves aggressive urges
aerobic exercise
sustained exercise that increases heart and lung fitness; also helps alleviate depression and anxiety
mindfulness meditation
a reflective practice in which people attend to current experiences in a nonjudgmental and accepting manner
feel good, do good phenomenon
people's tendency to be helpful when in a good mood
positive psychology
the scientific study of human flourishing, with the goals of discovering and promoting strengths and virtues that help 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
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.