Psychology of Emotion and Motivation ch. 1

Motivation

Any internal process that gives behavior its energy, direction, and persistence

Needs

Conditions within the individual that are essential and necessary for the maintenance of life and for the nurturance of growth and well-being
ex) Hunger, thirst, sleep, etc.

Cognition

Mental events capable of energizing and directing behavior
ex) Beliefs, expectations, goals, plans, attributions, mindsets, self-concept, etc.

Energy

-Behavior has strength
-It is strong, intense, and hardy/resilient

Direction

-Behavior has purpose
-It is aimed/guided toward achieving some goal or outcome

Persistence

-Behavior has endurance
-It sustains itself over time and across situations

Psychology’s Four Main Goals

Description, Explanation, Prediction, Change

Research process

-Propose a question
-Do background research
-Generate a hypothesis
-Design a study or experiment to test the hypothesis
-Collect data
-Analyze data and draw conclusions
-Share results
-Replication

Factors to consider between the current state and desired state

Knowledge, competence, motivation, habit, environmental resources, communication

Two perennial questions

What causes behavior?
Why does behavior vary in intensity?

Measuring Motivation: Five Expressions of Motivation

Behavior, engagement, psycho-physiology, brain activations, self-report

What are the Seven Behavioral Expressions of Motivation?

Effort, persistence, latency, choice, probability of response, facial expressions, bodily gestures

Procrastination

An irrational tendency to delay tasks that require completion

Forms of frequent or chronic procrastination is referred to as

trait procrastination

Task aversiveness

Boring, frustrating and aversive tasks are more likely to cause procrastination

Task Delay

All things being equal, tasks, where rewards and punishments are more distant, are more likely to cause procrastination

Impulsiveness

Those who are distractable and have less impulse control are more likely to procrastinate

Precrastination

-The tendency to get things done ASAP even if it involves extra effort
-May reduce the demands of remembering to do things later

What are the Four Interrelated Aspects of Engagement?

Behavior, Emotion, Cognition, Agency