AP Psych Unit 4 Drive reduction theory - ostracism

Drive-reduction theory

behavior is motivated by biological need to maintain homeostasis

Homeostasis

a balanced internal state (ex: not too hungry, not too full)

Need = food; Drive = feeling of hunger;

Drive-reducing behavior = eating

Arousal theory

suggests humans are motivated to seek the optimal level of arousal (differs by individual)

Yerkes-Dodson law

Says that performance on tasks increases with arousal, but for more difficult tasks, too much arousal will eventually cause performance to decline.

Self-determination theory

people are motivated by intrinsic (internal ex. self esteem) or extrinsic (external ex. money) motivators

Incentive theory

Says behavior is motivated by external rewards

Instinct theory

Many non-human animals are motivated by instincts (innate, fixed patterns of behavior in animals that determine responses to certain stimuli).

Lewin’s motivational conflicts theory

We are motivated to resolve conflict caused by having to make choices.

Approach-approach conflict

when you must pick one of two attractive choices  (go to the beach or go skiing?)

Avoidance-avoidance conflict

when you must choose between two unattractive choices (eat broccoli or eat peas?)

Approach-avoidance conflict

when you have one choice that has both desirable and undesirable outcomes (study abroad and have a great experience overseas but leave your friends and graduate late, or don't study abroad?)

Sensation-seeking theory

Says that one's level of need for varied or new experiences motivates our behavior.

Experience seeking

looking for new experiences through the mind, senses, and a non-conforming lifestyle

Thrill or adventure seeking

doing risky but socially acceptable activities such as sky diving.

Disinhibition

seeking escape from regular life through partying and social drug/alcohol use

Boredom susceptibility

having a low tolerance for repetitive or uninteresting activities

Lateral hypothalamus

creates feelings of hunger, triggers release of ghrelin ("My stomach is ghrelin for some food!", LH for lateral hypothalamus and Large Hunger)

Ventromedial hypothalamus

creates feelings of satiety (fullness), triggers release of leptin ("there's still food leptin my stomach, so I'm not hungry; VMH = ventromedial hypothalamus and Very Minute (tiny) Hunger)

External/environmental factors - presence of food, time of day, or social gatherings around meals also influence the behavior of eating

Ostracism

being excluded from a social group