AP Psychology Motivation, Emotion, and Stress

motivation

need or desire that energizes and directs behavior

drive-reduction theory

theory of motivation that a physiological need creates an aroused tension state that motivates an organism to satisfy the need

arousal theory

theory of motivation in which people are said to have an optimal level of tension that they seek to maintain by increasing or decreasing stimulation

homeostasis

tendency to maintain a balanced or constant internal state

Yerkes-Dodson law

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

self-determination theory

theory of motivation that is concerned with the beneficial effects of intrinsic motivation and the harmful effects of extrinsic motivation

intrinsic motivation

desire to perform a behavior effectively for its own sake

extrinsic motivation

desire to perform a behavior to receive promised rewards or avoid threatened punishment

incentive theory

theory of motivation stating that behavior is directed toward attaining desirable stimuli and avoiding unwanted stimuli

instincts

innate tendencies that determine behavior

Lewin's motivation conflicts theory

choices create conflict one must resolve as the basis of motivation

approach-approach

conflict that results from having to choose between two desirable alternatives

approach-avoidance

psychological conflict that results when a goal is both desirable and undesirable

avoidance-avoidance

conflict that results when a choice must be made between two undesirable alternatives

sensation-seeking theory

theory of motivation that proposes that one's level of need for varied or novel experiences is the basis of motivation

experience-seeking

tendency to seek novel experiences through the mind and the senses

thrill- or adventure-seeking

desire for outdoor activities and physically challenging pursuit that provide a high level of arousal

disinhibition

tendency to transmit messages without considering their consequences

boredom susceptibility

intolerance for repetitive experience

hormones

chemical messengers that are manufactured by the endocrine glands, travel through the bloodstream, and affect other tissues

ghrelin

hunger-arousing hormone

leptin

hunger-suppressing hormone

hypothalamus

neural structure that helps govern the endocrine system via the pituitary gland

pituitary gland

endocrine system's most influential gland

satiety

feeling of fullness

emotion

a complex experience that begins with a stimulus and includes physiological responses, emotional feelings, and emotional expressions

James-Lange theory of emotion

theory proposing that a stimulus in the environment leads to a physiological response and then the emotional feeling arises from that response

Cannon-Bard theory of emotion

theory that physiological arousal and emotional feelings emerge at the same time

Schacter two-factor theory of emotion

theory that to experience emotion one must be physically aroused and cognitively label the arousal

facial-feedback hypothesis

emotional expressions can cause the emotional experiences they signify

broaden-and-build theory of emotion

positive psychology theory that suggests that positive emotions can help people build skills and resources over time

display rules

cross-cultural guidelines for how and when to express emotions

elicitors

factors or situations that trigger emotions

stress

process by which we perceive and respond to certain events that we appraise as threatening or challenging

stressors

specific events or chronic pressures that place demands on a person or threaten the person's well-being

eustress

positive stress

distress

negative stress

locus of control

perception of where control over of events resides

internal locus of control

perception that you control your own fate

external locus of control

perception that chance or outside forces beyond your personal control determine your fate

adverse childhood experiences (ACEs)

stressful or traumatic experiences, including abuse, neglect, and a range of household dysfunction, such as witnessing domestic violence or growing up with substance abuse, mental disorders, parental discord, or crime in the home

general adaptation syndrome (GAS)

three-stage physiological response (alarm, resistance, exhaustion) that appears regardless of the stressor that is encountered

alarm phase

first phase of the GAS, during which body resources are mobilized to cope with the stressor

resistance phase

second phase of the GAS, during which the body adapts to and maintains resources to cope with the stressor

fight-flight-freeze response

an involuntary, physical response to a sudden and immediate threat (or stressor) in readiness for fight (confront), flight (escape) or freeze (avoid detection)

exhaustion phase

third phase of the GAS, during which the body's resources become depleted

tend-and-befriend theory

theory that females are more likely than males to respond to stressors by coming together for joint protection of self and offspring

problem-focused coping

attempting to alleviate stress directly by changing the stressor or the way we interact with that stressor

emotion-focused coping

attempting to alleviate stress by avoiding or ignoring a stressor and attending to emotional needs related to one's stress reaction

positive psychology

scientific study of optimal human functioning; aims to discover and promote strengths and virtues that enable individuals and communities to thrive

six categories of virtues

wisdom, courage, humanity, justice, temperance, transcendence

post-traumatic growth

positive psychological changes as a result of struggling with extremely challenging circumstances and life crises

optimistic vs. pessimistic explanatory style

people have both positive and negative ways of explaining the causes of events to themselves

relative deprivation

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