Key Concepts in Motivation and Emotion Psychology

motivation

The process that initiates, guides, and maintains goal-oriented behaviors.

instinct theory

A theory that suggests behaviors are driven by innate instincts.

drive-reduction theory

A theory that proposes that physiological needs create an aroused tension state that motivates an organism to satisfy those needs.

arousal theory

The theory that individuals are motivated to maintain an optimal level of arousal.

Yerkes-Dodson law

A principle that suggests there is an optimal level of arousal for performance, where too little or too much arousal can hinder performance.

homeostasis

The tendency of the body to maintain a balanced internal state.

incentive

A positive or negative environmental stimulus that motivates behavior.

hierarchy of needs

Maslow's pyramid of human needs, from basic physiological needs to self-actualization.

glucose

A simple sugar that is an important energy source in living organisms.

set point

The point at which an individual's weight is regulated by the hypothalamus.

settling point

The weight level that a person maintains when not trying to gain or lose weight.

basal metabolic rate

The rate at which the body uses energy while at rest to maintain vital functions.

anorexia nervosa

An eating disorder characterized by an intense fear of gaining weight and a distorted body image.

bulimia nervosa

An eating disorder characterized by binge eating followed by purging.

binge-eating disorder

An eating disorder characterized by recurrent episodes of eating large quantities of food.

lateral hypothalamus

The part of the hypothalamus that stimulates hunger.

ventromedial hypothalamus

The part of the hypothalamus that suppresses hunger.

insulin

A hormone that regulates blood sugar levels.

leptin

A hormone that helps to regulate energy balance by inhibiting hunger.

orexin

A hormone that regulates arousal, wakefulness, and appetite.

ghrelin

A hormone that stimulates appetite and increases food intake.

obestatin

A hormone that decreases appetite.

PYY

A hormone that reduces appetite.

ADH (antidiuretic hormone)

A hormone that helps to regulate water balance in the body.

pituitary gland

The gland that regulates various hormones in the body.

angiotensin

A hormone that increases blood pressure and stimulates thirst.

sexual response cycle

The four stages of sexual responding: excitement, plateau, orgasm, and resolution.

refractory period

The recovery phase after orgasm during which it is not possible to achieve another orgasm.

sexual disorder

A condition that affects sexual function.

estrogens

A group of hormones that play an important role in the female reproductive system.

testosterone

The primary male sex hormone.

sexual orientation

A person's emotional, romantic, or sexual attraction to others.

homosexual

Attraction to the same sex.

heterosexual

Attraction to the opposite sex.

bisexual

Attraction to both same and opposite sexes.

flow

A state of complete immersion and engagement in an activity.

industrial-organizational psychology

The scientific study of human behavior in organizations and the workplace.

personnel psychology

The branch of psychology that deals with the assessment and selection of employees.

organizational psychology

The study of how people interact within groups.

structured interviews

Interviews that follow a predetermined set of questions.

achievement motivation

The drive to pursue and attain goals.

task leadership

Leadership that focuses on the goals and tasks of the group.

social leadership

Leadership that focuses on building team dynamics and relationships.

theory X

A management theory that assumes employees are inherently lazy and require supervision.

theory Y

A management theory that assumes employees are self-motivated and thrive on responsibility.

emotion

A complex psychological state that involves a subjective experience, a physiological response, and a behavioral or expressive response.

James-Lange Theory

The theory that emotions arise from physiological reactions to events.

Cannon-Bard Theory

The theory that emotions and physiological reactions occur simultaneously.

Shachter-Singer Theory

The theory that emotion is based on physiological arousal and cognitive labeling.

two-factor theory

The theory that emotion is based on two factors: physiological arousal and cognitive interpretation.

spillover theory

The theory that arousal from one event can carry over to influence the emotional response to another event.

polygraph

A device that measures physiological responses to detect lies.

catharsis

The process of releasing and thereby providing relief from strong or repressed emotions.

feel-good, do-good phenomenon

The tendency to be helpful when already in a good mood.

subjective well-being

Self-perceived happiness or satisfaction with life.

adaptation level phenomenon

The tendency to judge various stimuli relative to those we have previously experienced.

relative deprivation

The perception that one is worse off relative to those with whom one compares oneself.

Abraham Maslow

Psychologist known for creating the hierarchy of needs.

Ancel Keys

A researcher known for his work on hunger and the physiology of eating.

A.L. Washburn

A psychologist known for his research on hunger.

Walter Cannon

A physiologist known for his work on the physiological basis of emotions.

William James

A psychologist who is considered one of the founders of functional psychology.

Karl Lange

A psychologist known for the James-Lange theory of emotion.

Philip Bard

A psychologist known for the Cannon-Bard theory of emotion.

Stanley Shachter

A psychologist known for the two-factor theory of emotion.

Jerome Singer

A psychologist who contributed to the two-factor theory of emotion.

Richard Lazarus

A psychologist known for his work on emotion and stress.

Rober Zajonc

A psychologist known for his work on the relationship between emotion and cognition.

Paul Ekman

A psychologist known for his work on facial expressions and emotions.

Carol Izard

A psychologist known for his work on emotions and their development.

William Masters

A psychologist known for his research on human sexual response.

Virginia Johnson

A psychologist who collaborated with Masters on research about human sexuality.

Simon Le Vay

A neuroscientist known for his research on sexual orientation.