Chapter 5 Psych

Motivation

the entire constellation of factors, some inside the organism and some outside, that cause an individual to behave in a particular way at a particular time

Drive

an internal condition that orients an individual toward a specific category or goals

ex. thirst and hunger

Incentives

sought-after objects that exist in the external environment

• goal reinforcers, or rewards

• drives and incentives compliment each other

Homeostasis

The constancy of internal conditions that the body must actively maintain (based on tissue needs)

• individuals must maintain internal states (ex hunger, thirst)

Regulatory Drive

helps preserve homeostasis

• hunger thirst, body temo

non-regulatory Drive

do not preserve homeostasis

include:

• Safety drives: motivate an animal to avoid, escape, or fend off dangers

• reproductive drives: sexual drive and the drive to care for young once they are born

• Social drives: drives for friendship, acceptance and approval (cooperation)

• Educative drives: drive to play and explore

Central-state Theory

different drives correspond to neural activity in different sets of neurons in the brain

Central Drive System

a set of neurons in which activity constitutes a drive

Wanting

the desire to obtain a reward

• typically measured by the effort or discomfort one is willing to undergo to obtain a reward

Liking

the subjective feeling of pleasure that occurs when one receives a reward

Preservation and Protection Theory

Sleep came about in evolution to preserve energy and protect the individual when there is relatively little value and considerable danger in moving about.

Body-Restoration Theory

Body wears down during the day, and sleep is needed to regenerate itself

Brain Maintenance Theory

REM sleep helps “exercise” neurons to keep brain healthy, and consolidate newly learned information

Prefrontal Cortex

Crucial for conscious emotional experience and deliberate action based on it

Amygdala

• assesses the emotional significane of stimuli

• Rapidly evaluates sensoy information for its significant to survival or well being and triggers bodily responses

Medial forebrain bundle

tract in the brain containing neurons crucial for rewards

Nucleus accumbens

• most crucial neurons have their cell bodies in nuclei in the midbrain and synaptic terminals in this

• very significant for the behavioral effects of rewards

Dopamine

neurotansmitter that promotes “wanting” but not essential for “liking”

• important for working to acquire reinforcers that are not immediately present

• Important for new learning

Endorphins

short for endogenous morphine-like substance; a transmitter responsible for “liking” response

• inhibit pain

• crucial for immediate pleasure experince when reward is given

Leptin

appetite-suppressing hormone secreted by fat cells

• insensitivity to leptin is a contributor of obesity

Sensory-specific satiety

people and lab animals that eat a type of food until they are satiated experience renewed appetite when a different food, with a different taste, is placed before them

The Sleep Cycle

90 min

Stage 1: brief transition stage, when the person is first falling asleep (non-rem sleep)

Stage 2-4: Successively deeper stages of true sleep. More slow, irregular, and high amplitude maves. (non-REM sleep)

REM: Rapid Eye Movement sleep

• go back to stages

• includes dreaming and movement of the eyes

• similar to beta waves when we are awake

Insomnia

having great difficulty sleeping at night for those with typical sleep drives

Nonsomnia

sleeping much less than most, but still do not report feeling tired during the day (rare)

Emotion

a subjective feeling that is mentally directed toward some object

• Affect: the feel associated with emotions and varies on two dimensions un/pleasantness and mental/physical arousal

• Object: may be a person, thing, or event and typically meaningful

• Mood: an emotional feeling that is not attached to an object and lasts for a longer period of time

Self-conscious emotions

where one’s self or own behavior is the object

• pride

• shame

• guilt

• embarrassment

• emotions serve adaptive functions

PYY Peptide YY

appetite surpressing hormone

NPY Neuropeptide Y

Most potent appetite stimulator

Sleep Waves

Alpha waves- large, regular waves occur when a person is relaxed by awake

Beta waves- low amplitude, fast, irregular waves occur when a person is concerntrating, focused, or excited

Delta waves- high-amplitude, slow irregular waves occur when a person is in “true sleep”