Unit 8 - Motivation and Emotion

Achievement Motivation

striving to excel and outperform others

Affect

the observable expression of a person's emotions, including their facial expressions, tone of voice, and body language

Affiliation Motivation

balancing connectedness with psychological needs enhances well-being; ostracism (social exclusion) can cause emotional pain

Approach-Approach Conflicts

choosing between two desirable outcomes; e.g. two appealing job offers

Approach-Avoidance Conflicts

a single goals has both positive and negative aspects; e.g. a promotion with more responsibility

Arousal Theory

Yerkes Dodson Law; people seek an optimal level of arousal; low=boredom (seek stimulation) and high=overstimulation (seek calm)

Avoidance-Avoidance Conflicts

choosing between two undesirable outcomes; e.g. two unpleasant chores

Blood Glucose

form of sugar that circulates in the blood and is a major source of energy

Boredom Suseptibility

intolerance of repetitive or routine experiences

Broaden and Build Theory

states that positive emotions broaden prospective, enabling growth and long-term resource building, while negative emotions narrow focus, directing energy toward immediate survival or problem-solving

Cognitive Appraisal

the personal interpretation of a situation; how an individual views a situation

Cognitive Label

the mental process of assigning a specific emotion to a physiological arousal state, based on one's interpretation of the situation

Competence Motivation

striving to master skills and control outcomes

Disinhibition

seeking release through social stimulation or risk-taking

Display Rules

facial expressions, gestures, tone of voice, etc that are governed by cultural norms

Drive-Reduction Theory

motivation arises from biological needs aiming to maintain homeostasis; primary (survival) and secondary drives (supporting primary)

Experience Seeking

pursuit of new experiences; e.g. travel, art

External Factors

influences that come from outside an individual and affect their behavior

Extrinsic Motivation

performing tasks due to external reward or pressures; e.g. studying for a grade

Facial-Feedback Hypothesis

emotional expression can lead to physical changes toed to emotion; muscular feedback from facial expression contribute to conscious experience; mimicking facial movements associated with an emotion can produce its corresponding emotional state

Ghrelin

hunger hormone that strongly stimulates appetite and eating when there are increased levels of it in the brain

Growth Mindset

a belief system where individuals see their abilities and intelligence as qualities that can be developed through effort, learning, and persistence

Hierarchy of Needs

people are motivated to realize personal potential and growth; Abraham Harold Maslow

Hormone

a chemical messenger secreted by endocrine glands and influence various bodily functions and behaviors

Insulin

hormone that regulates glucose

Psychological Motives

the internal, often complex reasons why people behave in a certain way, driven by factors like personal needs, desires, beliefs, and goals

Set Point Theory

long-term matching of food intake to energy expenditure to keep the body at its healthy weight

Homeostasis

the body's ability to maintain a stable internal environment despite changes in external conditions

Hypothalamus

a small region of the brain that serves as the main control center for autonomic functions

Incentive Theory

external stimuli (“pull factors”) drive behaviors; cannot fully explain altruism or compassion

Instinct Theory

behavior is innate and evolved for survival, unlearned; e.g. fight or flight

Internal Factors

personal attributes or characteristics within an individual that are considered to influence their behavior

Intrinsic Motivation

engaging in tasks for inherent satisfaction or challenge; self-determination; e.g. learning

Lateral Hypothalamus

“on switch” for hunger

Leptin

regulate appetite and food intake when there are increased levels of it in the brain

Negative Emotions

feelings like sadness, anger, fear, disgust, guilt, shame, anxiety, and frustration that can have detrimental effects

Negative Energy Balance

calorie intake falls short of expenditure (weight loss)

Optimal Level of Arousal

people seek stimulation when bored or calm when overstimulated to achieve this

Orexin

produced by neurons in the lateral hypothalamus that tell the body to “eat more”

Overjustification Effect

when receiving an external reward for something the person enjoys, it decreases the intrinsic motivation

Positive Emotions

pleasant and desirable feelings like joy, love, gratitude, interest, contentment, pride, and hope

Positive Energy Balance

calories intake exceeds expenditure (weight gain)

Self-Determination Theory

competence, autonomy, and relatedness

Sensation-Seeking Theory

desire for new sensations and experiences through the mind and senses

Thrill and Adventure Seeking

activities like skydiving or racing

Ventromedial Hypothalamus

“off switch” for hunger