AP Psych Unit 8- Motivation, Emotion, & Stress (Myers Textbook)

Motivation

A need or desire that energizes and directs behavior

Instinct

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

Drive-Reduction Theory

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

Homeostasis

A tendency to maintain a balanced or constant internal state; the regulation of any aspect of body chemistry, such as blood glucose, around a particular level

Incentive

A positive or negative environmental stimulus that motivates behavior

Yerkes-Dodson Law

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

Hierarchy of Needs

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

Physiological Needs

At the base of Maslow’s hierarchy of needs- the need to satisfy hunger and thirst

Safety Needs

Second from the base of Maslow’s hierarchy of needs- the need to feel the world is organized and predictable

Belongingness & Love Needs

Third from the base of Maslow’s hierarchy of needs- the need to love, be loved, belong, and avoid separation

Esteem Needs

Third from the top of Maslow’s hierarchy of needs- the need for self-esteem, achievement, competence, independence, and recognition and respect from others

Self-Actualization Needs

Second from the top of Maslow’s hierarchy of needs- the need to live to our fullest and unique potential

Self-Transcendence Needs

The top of Maslow’s hierarchy of needs- the need to find meaning and identity beyond self

Glucose

The form of sugar that circulates in the blood and provides the major source of energy for body tissues. When its level is low, we feel hunger; monitored by the hypothalamus

Arcuate Nucleus

A neural arc that has a center that secrets appetite-stimulating hormones and secrets appetite-suppressing hormones

Insulin

An appetite hormone secreted by the pancreases which controls blood glucose

Ghrelin

An appetite hormone secreted by an empty stomach; sends “I’m Hungry” signals to the brain

Orexin

A hunger-triggering hormone secreted by the hypothalamus

Leptin

A protein hormone secreted by fat cells; when abundant, causes the brain to increase metabolism and decrease hunger

PYY

A digestive tract hormone that sends “I’m not Hungry” signals to the brain

Set Point

The point at which an individual’s “weight thermostat” is supposedly set. When the body falls below this weight, an increase in hunger and a lowered metabolic rate may act to restore the lost weight

Basal Metabolic Rate

The body’s rate of energy expenditure

Sexual Response Cycle

The four stages of sexual responding described by Master and Johnson- excitement, plateau, orgasm, and resolution

Excitement Phase

Men’s and women’s genital areas become engorged with blood. A women’s vagina expands and secrets lubricant. Her breasts and nipples may also enlarge

Plateau Phase

Excitement peaks as breathing pulse and blood pressure rates continue to rise. The penis becomes fully engorged and fluid “precum” may appear at its tip. Vaginal secretion continues to increase.

Orgasm Phase

Muscle contractions, paired with increase in breathing, pulse, and blood pressure rates, releases sperm for men and draws sperm further inward for women; the pleasure feeling is the same for both sexes

Resolution Phase

The body’s gradual return to its unaroused state as the engorged genital blood vessels release their accumulated blood- relatively quickly if orgasm has occurred, relatively slow otherwise

Refractory Period

A resting period after orgasm, during which man cannot achieve another orgasm

Sexual Dysfunctions

Problems that consistently impair sexual arousal or functioning. They can be successfully treated by behaviorally orientated therapy or drug therapy

Estrogen

Sex hormones, such as estradiol, secreted in greater amounts by females than by males and contributing to female sex characteristics. In nonhuman female mammals, estrogen levels peak during ovulation, promoting sexual receptivity

Testosterone

The most important of the male sex hormones. Both females and males have it but the additional testosterone in males stimulates the growth of the male sex organs in the fetus and the development of the male sex characteristics during puberty

___ % of the population has sexual fantasies

98%

Insecure Anxious Attachment

Constantly craving acceptance but remaining vigilant to signs of possible rejection

Insecure Avoidant Attachment

Feelings such as discomfort over getting close to others that they employ avoidant strategies to maintain their distance

Emotion

A response of the whole organism, involving 1) physiological arousal, 2) expressive behaviors, and 3) conscious experience

James-Lange Theory

The theory that our experience of emotion is our awareness of our physiological responses to emotion-arousing stimuli

Cannon-Bard Theory

The theory that an emotion-arousing stimulus simultaneously triggers 1) physiological response and 2) the subjective experience of emotion

Two-Factor Theory

The Schachter-Singer theory that to experience emotion one must 1) be physically aroused and 2) cognitively label the arousal

The Spillover Effect

Arousal from a soccer match can fuel anger, which can descend into rioting or other violent confrontations

The Brain’s 2 Pathways for Emotions

1) to the cortex (via the thalamus) for analysis and then transmission to the amygdala 2) directly to the amygdala (via the thalamus) for an instant emotional reaction

Zajonc;LeDoux Theory

Same embodied responses happen instantly, without conscious appraisal

Lazarus Theory

Cognitive appraisal (“Is it dangerous or not?”)- sometimes without our awareness-defines emotion

Insula

Activates when we experience various social emotions, such as pride, lust, and disgust

Polygraph

A machine, commonly used in attempts to detect lies, that measures several of the physiological responses (such as perspiration, cardiovascular and breathing changes) accompanying emotion- its main issues are that 1) our arousal is much the same from one emotion to another 2) many innocent people do respond with heightened tension to accusations

Guilty Knowledge Test

Assesses a suspect’s physiological responses to crime-scene details only known to the police an guilt person (since only a guilty person would react to specific information)

Facial-Feedback Effect

The tendency of facial muscle states to trigger corresponding feelings such as fear, anger, or happiness

Health Psychology

A subfield of psychology that provides psychological contribution to behavioral medicine

Stress

The process by which we perceive and respond to certain events, called stressors, that we appraise as threatening or challenging; there are three main types; catastrophes, significant live changes, and daily hassles

General Adaptation System (GAS)

Selye’s concept of the body’s adaptive response to stress in three phases- alarm, resistance, and exhaustion

Alarm Reaction

As your sympathetic nervous system is suddenly activated, your heart rate zooms, blood is diverted to your skeletal muscles, and you feel the faintness of shock

Resistance

Your temperature, blood pressure, and respiration remain high. Your adrenal glands pump hormones into your bloodstream. You are fully engaged, summoning all your resources to meet the goal

Exhaustion

As time passes, with no relief from stress, your body’s reserves begin to run out. With exhaustion, you become more vulnerable to illness or even in extreme cases, collapse and death

Tend-and-Befriend Response

Under stress, people (especially women) often provide support to others (tend) and bond with and seek support from others (befriend)

Psychophysiological Illnesss

Literally “mind-body’ illness; any stress-related physical illness, such as hypertension and some headaches

Psychoneuroimmunology

The study of how psychological, neural, and endocrine processes together affect the immune system and resulting health

Lymphocytes

The two types of white blood cells that are part of the body’s immune system and of which, stress diverts energy from

B Lymphocytes

Form in the bone marrow and release antibodies that fight bacterial infections

T Lymphocytes

Form in the thymes and other lymphatic tissue and attack cancer cells, viruses, and foreign substances

Macriophage

(“Big eater”) which identifies, pursues, and ingests harmful invaders and worn-out cells

Natural Killer Cells (NK Cells)

Pursue diseased cells (such as those infected by viruses or cancer)

Coronary Heart Disease

The clogging of the vessels that nourish the heart muscle; the leading cause of death in many developed countries, such as North America- linked with the Type A reactive, anger-prone personality

Type A

Friedman and Rosenman’s term for competitive, hard-driving, impatient, verbally aggressive, and anger-prone people

Type B

Friedman and Rosenman’s term for easygoing, relaxed people