Unit 4 PSYCH: Social Psychology and Personality

arousal

the state of being physiologically alert, awake, and responsive to stimuli. a state of excitement or energy expenditure linked to an emotion.

Drive-Reduction Theory

motivation as the push to reduce internal tension from unmet biological needs (like hunger, thirst) by engaging in behaviors that restore balance, or homeostasis, back to an optimal internal state
need —> drive —> behavior

Example:

• Need: nutrients (stuff from food)

• Drive: hunger

• behavior: eating

big idea here is homeostasis

mostly involved with survival

arousal theory

individuals are motivated to act in ways that maintain an optimal level of physiological arousal (alertness, excitement) rather than just reducing tension

Pullen explanation: constantly seeking the “sweet spot of arousal” to not be anxious or nervous or bored. everyone has different optimal levels of arousal. YOLO in a nutshell

optimal arousal

Yerkes-Dodson Law

performance increases with physiological or mental arousal (stress) but only up to a point

Pullen: you perform best in your optimal level of arousal. athletes: tennis, if they are in their optimal level of arousal, they will be at their peak or best potential for performance. if they are too confident and see it as not challenging enough, they also will not perform well. there is a sweet spot that maximizes it

Self-Determination theory

posits that human motivation is driven by the innate need for growth and the satisfaction of three psychological needs: autonomy (choice), competence (mastery), and relatedness (connection).

tied to the workplace mostly

Pullen:

• autonomy: individual having control over work that they are doing (more control —> more motivation)

• competence: are they able to actually do that task (is it in their ability level or wheelhouse) (feel competent —> more motivation)

  • relatedness: relationships and collaboration with others (have connections at work —> more motivation)

also involves intrinsic and extrinsic motivation

intrinsic motivation

performing a behavior because the act itself is inherently satisfying, enjoyable, or personally rewarding, rather than for external benefits like money or praise, focusing on internal factors such as personal growth, interest, and fulfillment

extrinsic motivation

the drive to engage in a specific behavior or activity to earn external rewards (e.g., money, grades, praise) or to avoid punishment

incentive theory

behavior is motivated by the desire to attain external rewards (positive incentives) and avoid punishments (negative incentives).

Instinct theory

posits that behavior is primarily driven by innate, unlearned, and genetically programmed patterns (instincts) universal to a species, aimed at ensuring survival
does not apply to humans

Pullen: Sea turtles live by their own instincts. humans have the rooting reflex but animals have instincts

• fits in survival theory as well

Lewin’s motivational conflicts

It's Kurt Lewin's idea that motivation arises from tension when we face choices, categorized into three main types: Approach-Approach (two good options), Avoidance-Avoidance (two bad options), and Approach-Avoidance (one option with both good and bad parts)

• Approach-Approach: two desirable options

• Avoidance-Avoidance: one option with good and bad to it

  • Approach-Avoidance: two undesirable options

sensation-seeking theory

the pursuit of novel, complex, and intense sensations and experiences, along with the willingness to take physical, social, legal, and financial risks for the sake of such experiences

Pullen: i think it’s stupid. the level of need for experiences

• Experience seeking: looking for new experiences - not intense or extreme - just new experiences to your life —> an experience you have not had yet

• Thrill or Adventure seeking: same as above but more danger centered —> chasing the adrenaline rush (skydiving, bungee jumping etc)

• Disinhibition: disconnect from society - be away from other people

• Boredom Susceptibility: some people are predisposed to be bored more easily which makes them seek out ways to avoid this boredom

main motivators

the internal (needs, desires) and external (incentives, rewards) forces that energize, direct, and sustain human behavior toward a specific goal:

hunger, sex and social belonging

hunger

a complex physiological and psychological drive to consume food, acting as a motivated state to maintain energy homeostasis

Pullen: hypothalamus (makes you feel hungry), pituitary gland (hormones and rest of body)

• leptin: makes you feel full

• ghrelin: causes you to eat more because you feel hungry

• Hypothalamus parts

  • Lateral —> Let’s eat (hungry)

  • Ventromedial —> Vomit (full)

• External factors of hunger:

  • Presence of food: if it is there (free pizza example)

  • time of day: certain time frames where eating is taking place or is normed to take place

  • Social gatherings: you may show up at a party where you are full but still eat because there is food there

Sexual Response Cycle

a four-stage model describing the physical/physiological responses during sexual activity: excitement, plateau, orgasm, and resolution

Pullen:

• Excitement —> initial arousal of genitals

• Plateau —> the actual happening of it

• Orgasm —> heightened sense or climax

• Resolution —> body returns to normal state and men enter a refractory period

Eat Plenty Of Radishes

Achievement

the successful attainment of a goal, or the mastery of skills and knowledge in a specific area

Pullen:

• Humans crave a sense of belonging —> paired with belonging

• do a thing for social belonging

• Humans require and crave a sense of belonging, base level to help with survival and pass along genes

• highly motivated individuals set challenging but attainable goals

• Achievement also aligns directly with our Intrinsic vs Extrinsic motivations

goal setting (SMART)

a structured, evidence-based framework for effective goal-setting in psychology, ensuring objectives are Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound

Pullen:

• Big picture goals to start —> high standards, but attainable

• Keep yourself accountable by including others

• Have short term goals that slowly build to the big picture

• set yourself up for success

psychodynamic theory of personality (freud)

asserts that personality and behavior are shaped by unconscious drives, inner conflicts, and early childhood experiences (add more later)

compensation

a defense mechanism (often unconscious) where an individual covers up, develops, or exaggerates a weakness, frustration, or feelings of inadequacy in one life area by seeking to excel or overachieve in another

making up for failures in one area through success in others

rationalization

a defense mechanism involving the creation of false but plausible excuses to justify unacceptable behaviors, thoughts, or feelings

creating logical excuses for emotional or irrational behavior

regression

a psychoanalytic defense mechanism where an individual, facing anxiety or stress, reverts to an earlier, more immature stage of development to seek comfort and safety

reverting to childish behaviors

denial

a psychoanalytic defense mechanism where an individual refuses to acknowledge or accept consciously painful facts, realities, or feelings

the refusal to acknowledge or accept unwanted beliefs or actions

sublimation

the unconscious, mature process of transforming unacceptable impulses, such as aggressive or sexual drives, into socially acceptable, productive, or creative behaviors

the channeling or redirecting of sexual or aggressive feelings into a more socially acceptable outlet

projection

a psychoanalytic defense mechanism where individuals unconsciously attribute their own unacceptable thoughts, feelings, or impulses onto another person or group

when a person attributes feelings or beliefs to another person when they are actually the person’s own beliefs or feelings