Module 37: Motivational Concepts

What is motivation?

A need or desire that energizes and directs behavior

What is an instinct?

A complex, unlearned behavior that is rigidly patterned throughout a species

What is homeostasis?

A tendency to maintain a balanced or constant internal state

What is a drive?

An aroused tension state

What is an incentive?

A positive or negative environmental stimulus that motivates behavior

What is the Yerkes-Dodson law?

The principle that performance increases with arousal only up to a point, beyond which performance decreases

What is drive-reduction theory?

The idea that a physiological need creates an aroused tension state (drive) that motivates an organism to satisfy the need

What is Maslow’s hierarchy of needs?

A pyramid of human needs, beginning at the base with physiological needs that must be satisfied before higher-level safety and psychological needs become active

What is instinct theory / evolutionary psychology?

A theory that all behaviors are driven by instincts, which are fixed patterns of behavior that are not learned

What is optimal arousal theory?

A theory that people are motivated to maintain a personally preferred level of arousal