Psyc 1000 exam notes

Difference between motivation and emotion

motivation → why we act; internal processes that initiate, guide, and maintain behaviour

emotion → how we feel; psychological reationss to stimuli

what is motivation?

a set of internal and external factors that energize behaviour and direct it toward goals

motives

-internal process that make us behave in certain ways

can be:

biological, social, cognitive

primary motivation - need to belong

-humans have a fundamental need for connection and relationships

-social bonds improve survival, mental health, and emotional wellbeing

loneliness

-a distressing feeling that occurs when social needs are not met

-not the same as being physically alone, its lack of meaningful connection

love- a motivational system

-love is treated as motivation, not just an emotion, because it drives behaviour

two theories of love

1. Stenburg’s Triangular Theory

2. Attachment t=Theory

Stenburgs Triangular Theory

-intimacy (emotional closeness), passion (arousal, attraction), commitment (decision to stay together)

-different combinations = different type of love

Attachment theory (adult relationships)

• secure, anxious, avoidant

• these styles shape how people give/receive love

Theories of motivation

1. Drive reduction theory

2. Incentive theories

3. Push-Pull Theory

4. Humanistic theory (maslow)

5. Arousal Theory

6. Self-Determination Theory (SDT)

7. Social cognitive theory

Drive reduction theory

• behaviour is motivated by a desire to reduce internal tension caused by an unmet needs

• driven by biological needs (hunger, thirst)

• homeostasis: body’s attempt to maintain stable internal balance

Incentive theories

• motivation comes from external rewards or goals

• Intrinsic = do it because you want to/enjoy it

• Extrinsic = do it for reward

Push - Pull Theory

push - internal drives (hunger)

pull - external incentives

motivation - both working together

humanistic theory (maslow)

-needs arranged in a hierarchy: basic needs → growth needs

-motivation increases as you move toward self-actualization

arousal theory

• people are mostly motivated when they have: autonomy, competence, relatedness

social cognitive theory

• motivation shaped by thoughts: expectations, values, and self-efficacy

• people act based on goals and beliefs, not just needs

Emotion theories

James-Lange theory

Cannon-Bard

Two-factor theory

James-Lange theory

• Event → physical reaction → emotion

• We feel emotion because of our bodily reactions

Cannon-bard

• Emotion + bodily reaction happen at the same time

• one does NOT cause the other

Two-factor theory

• Emotion = arousal + interpretation

• Same arousal can become different emotions depending on how we label it

Universal emotions

• Basic emotions seen in all cultures: joy, surprise, sadness, anger, disgust, fear

Display rules

• Cultural rules about when/how to express emotion

Emotional Dialects

• cultures express the same emotion with different facial movements

Health

• Health: full physical, mental, and social well-being

• Illness: presence of disease

HRQOL

• Functioning: self-care, daily roles, social life

• Well-being: emotions, pain energy

Health Psychology

• How behaviours + decisions affect health

• Many early deaths = lifestyle (smoking, alcohol, obesity, inactivity)

Approaches to Health and Illness

• Biomedical model: Illness = biological problem

• Biopsychosocial model: bio + psych + social (cultural) factors

• Most modern professionals use this model

Acute conditions

Sudden, short-term (flu, injury)

Chronic conditions

Long lasting (diabetes, heart condition)

Health Issues

1. Cancer

2. AIDS

3. Smoking

4. Obesity

5. Alcohol

Cancer

Abnormal cell growth; linked to genes + lifestyle

AIDS

Immune system failure; caused by HIV

Smoking

Major cause of cancer, lung disease, heart disease

Obesity

High body fat; increased risk of diabetes, heart disease

Alcohol

Liver disease, addiction, accidents, mental health impacts

Psychosocial issues

• poverty & discrimination: more stress, fewer resources → poorer health

• interpersonal relationships: strong support = better health

Stress

• Physical and psychological response to a threat or challenge

Stressors

• Events that cause stress

General Adaptation Syndrome (GAS)

1. Alarm (fight/flight)

2. Resistance (trying to cope)

3. Exhaustion (resources run out)

What causes stress?

• Major life events

• Daily hassles

• Trauma

• Conflict

• Lack of control

Physiology of stress

-Activates sympathetic nervous system + cortisol release

Stress response - The 5 F’s

• flight, flight, freeze, faint, fawn

Transactional model of stress

• Stress depends on how you interpret the situation

Mechanics of stress

• Appraisal → physiological response → coping attempt

Effects of stress

• Headaches

• Sleep problems

• Weakened immune system

• Anxiety

• Burnout

PTSD

• Trauma-related disorder

  • Flashbacks

  • Avoidance

  • Hyperarousal

Psychoneuroimmunology

• Study of how stress affects the immune system

Stress & Heart Diease

• High stress + Type A (hostile, competitive) = increased heart disease risk

Stress, brain, and heart diease

• çhronic stress damages hippocampus (memory) and increases risk for illness

Appraising stressors

• Primary: Is it a threat?

• Secondary: Can I handle it?

Personal factors

• Optimism: better stress outcomes

• Pessimism: worse outcomes

• Hardiness: commitments, control, challenge = resilience

• Social support: buffers stress

Coping types

• Problem-focused

• Emotion-focused

• Positive coping

Problem-focused coping

• Change the stressor (plan, solve)

Emotion-focused coping

-Manage feelings (relax, talk, distract)

Positive coping

• Healthy strategies (exercise, support, planning)

Exercise

• Reduces stress, boosts mood

Meditation/relaxation

• Decreases arousal, improves focus

Resilience

• Ability to bounce back after challenges

Post-Traumatic Growth

• Positive change after trauma (new perspecitve, strength)

Psychopathology

• The study of mental disorders: causes symptoms, and development

Diagnosis

• Identifying and labeling a mental disorder using symptoms

• Helps guide treatment, but labels can have drawback

Culture & Mental Health

• Culture influences

  • how symptoms appear

  • what is considered “normal”

  • stigma and how people seek help

Early Classification Systems

• Very basic, often moralistic (example: ‘madness’, ‘lunacy’)

• Not scientific; often harmful

DSM (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders)

• Standard tool used by clinicians in North America

• Categorizes disorders based on symptoms

Historical Background

• Early DSM editions focused on psychoanalytic ideas

• Later editions moved toward medical/scientific description

Maladaptive coping/behaviour

• Behaviour that may temporarily reduce stress but negatively impact functioning (e.g. avoidance, substance use)

• Often part of mental disorder criteria

Critiques of the DSM

• Can over-pathologize normal behaviour

• Cultural bias

• Medicalizes human experience

• Labels can shape identity

Power of a diagnosis

• Can validate experiences and provide access to support

Labels - positive

• access to treatment/support

• shared language for professionals

• personal clarity/understanding

Challenges (very testable)

• Blinders: people may ignore other explanations for behaviour

• Biases: leads to steryotyping and “otherness”

• Self-fulfilling: individuals internalize the label (“I am this disorder”)

• Collateral damage: side effects of medications

• Impact on rights/opportunities: work, school, insurance, mortgages

A mental disorder is:

• A syndrome with clinically significant disturbances in:

  • cognition

  • emotion regulation

  • behaviour

• Reflects psychological, biological, or developmental dysfunction

• Associated with distress or disability

Mental disorders are NOT

• If it’s an expectable response to stress (grief)

• Behaviour is socially deviant unless dysfunction

• Conflict between individual and society without disfunction

DSM as a powerful text

• Shapes how society understands mental illness through medical lens

• Locates the “problem” within individual, often ignoring context

• Influences how families and relationships experience mental health issues

Stigma & Social Impact

• DSM labels can often cause stigma and social isolation

• Can lower self confidence and create distrust in the system

• Impact is stronger for marginalized, radicalized, and Indigenous groups

Language of mental illness

• Words like mental illness/disorder shape personal family identity

• People learn diagnostic language through lived or observed experiences

• Can either help understanding or add pressure/stigmas