Psychology Lecture Review: Motivation, Emotion, and Happiness

Flashcards covering key vocabulary terms related to motivation, Abraham Maslow's hierarchy of needs, humanistic psychology, emotions, nonverbal communication, and happiness from the lecture notes.

Psychology

The scientific study of behavior and mental processes.

Motivation

A need or desire that energizes and directs behavior.

Explicit Motivation

Your stated goals, desires, or needs that may affect your behavior.

Implicit Motivation

Needs or desires that are unstated or implied by your behavior.

Subcomponents of Motivation

Activation, Persistence, and Intensity.

Evolutionary Psychology (Instinct Theory)

The view that human behavior exhibits innate tendencies or instincts.

Instincts

Complex behavior that is rigidly patterned throughout a species and is unlearned.

Drive-Reduction Theory (Dollard & Miller, 1950)

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

Drive

An aroused tension state created by a physiological need that motivates an organism to satisfy that need.

Incentive

A positive or negative environmental stimulus that motivates behavior.

Arousal Theory (Berlyne, 1960)

Even when all our biological needs are met, we feel driven to experience stimulation.

Maslow’s Humanistic Perspective of Motivation

Assumes that motivation is constant, never ending, fluctuating, and complex.

Hierarchy of Needs (Maslow)

A motivational theory that begins at the base with physiological needs, then moves to higher-level safety needs, and then psychological needs.

Self-actualization

The need to live up to one's fullest and unique potential.

Self-Determinism Theory (2000) (Deci & Ryan)

Proposes three basic needs for optimal human functioning: Competence, Autonomy, and Relatedness.

Competence (Self-Determinism Theory)

One of the three basic needs for optimal human functioning, referring to the feeling of being effective and capable.

Autonomy (Self-Determinism Theory)

One of the three basic needs for optimal human functioning, referring to the feeling of being in control of one's choices and behaviors.

Relatedness (Self-Determinism Theory)

One of the three basic needs for optimal human functioning, referring to the feeling of connection and belonging with others.

Emotion

A response of the whole organism, involving physiological arousal, expressive behaviors, and conscious experience.

James-Lange Theory of Emotion (1890)

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

Cannon-Bard Theory of Emotion (1927)

The theory that emotion-arousing stimuli simultaneously trigger physiological responses and the subjective experience of emotion.

Schachter’s Two-Factor Theory of Emotion (1962)

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

Misattribution of Arousal

Lingering physiological arousal is mistakenly attributed to subsequent circumstances and intensifies our emotional reactions to those circumstances.

Nonverbal Communication

The conveyance of messages without words, including aspects like genuine versus false smiles and body language related to deception detection.

Ten Basic Emotions (Izard, 1977)

Joy, Interest, Surprise, Sadness, Anger, Disgust, Contempt, Fear, Shame, and Guilt.

Paul Ekman’s Theory of Emotions (1990)

Identified core emotions such as Anger, Disgust, Fear, Happiness, Sadness, Surprise, Amusement, Contempt, and others.

Dacher Keltner’s 27 Emotions (2017)

A broader classification of emotions including Admiration, Awe, Boredom, Envy, Joy, Sadness, and many more nuanced feelings.

Subjective Well-Being

Self-perceived happiness or satisfaction with life, used along with objective well-being measures to evaluate quality of life.

Characteristics of Happy People

Tend to have high self-esteem (in individualistic countries), be optimistic, outgoing, agreeable, have close friendships or a satisfying marriage, have engaging work and leisure, have a meaningful religious faith, sleep well, and exercise.

Positive Psychology (Sonja Lyubomirsky)

A scientific approach to increasing happiness and well-being, including strategies like expressing gratitude, cultivating optimism, and practicing kindness.

Sonja Lyubomirsky's 10 Steps Towards a More Satisfying Existence

A set of practices designed to increase happiness, including counting blessings, cultivating optimism, avoiding over-thinking, practicing acts of kindness, nurturing social relationships, developing coping strategies, learning to forgive, increasing flow experiences, savoring life’s joys, and self-care.