Chapter 7 - Motivation and Emotion

motivation

the forces that activate and direct behavior

emotion

a complex internal state that involves physiological, cognitive, and behavioral components

instincts

behaviors that do not require previous experience or learning

drives

internal forces that provide us with the energy and intensity to regain homeostasis

incentives

classically conditioned cues that grab your attention and influence your behavior

arousal

the level of alertness or sleepiness we feel at any given moment

homeostasis

fundamental concept of both physiology and behavior, that there's an optimal level for something

external signals

environmental cues that influence hunger and satiety

psychological needs

according to Maslow, love/belonging and esteem

adaptation

essential part of our survival, stress keeps us alive and can even help us to thrive

basic emotions

six emotions with great commonality across species - include happiness, sadness, fear, anger, disgust, and surprise

emotional expression

ways of communicating emotions, includes facial expressions, body language, and microexpressions

arousal

the level of alertness or sleepiness we feel at any given moment

theories

tentative explanations

explain

process of stating how and why the behaviors are occurring

evolutionary psychology

branch of psychology that seeks to explain behavior in terms of its function

unlearned behavior

behaviors that are apparent from a very early age onwards and require very little experience to emerge

reflex

automatic response when presented with a particular stimulus

ethology

field that seeks to study the behavior of animals in their natural habitat

modal action patterns

behaviors that occur in the same fashion, time and time again, and are present in nearly every individual

drive-reduction

occurs after we begin to reduce a need, when we begin to feel better

reinforcement

an event that increases the probability that the behavior it follows will be repeated

punishment

an event that decreases the probability that the behavior it follows will be repeated

quantity and quality

amount and type of reinforcement and punishment, important determinants of motivation

reticular formation

runs through the core of the hindbrain and midbrain (i.e., the brainstem), involved in regulating arousal, attention, and sleep

sympathetic nervous system

branch of the autonomic nervous system associated with activation; mediates fight-or-flight response in stressful or threatening situations

Yerkes-Dodson arousal curve

theory that describes the relationship between arousal and performance as an inverted-U-shaped curve

arousal homeostasis

idea that we all strive to be at our optimal level of arousal

set point

the body weight, or fat level, that each of us seeks to maintain

hunger

state of feeling hungry

satiety

state of feeling full

energy balance

ability to eat a sufficient amount of food to engage in all activities that cost energy

basal metabolic rate (BMR)

energy we consume when at rest

body fat

how our bodies store energy

short- and long-term weight regulation

over time, your body seeks to consume the right amount of energy to maintain your weight at its set point

hypothalamus

regulates body temperature, hunger, thirst, and sexual behavior, plays a role in sleep; link between brain and endocrine system, controls autonomic nervous system

insulin

chemical signal involved in regulating eating behavior, allows cells to take up sugar, increased levels suppress appetite

leptin

chemical signal involved in regulating eating behavior, released by fat cells, increased levels suppress appetite

classical conditioning

learning to associate a meaningless stimulus with a meaningful stimulus that is important to us because of its ability to elicit a response

operant behaviors

behaviors that are rewarded

incentives

classically conditioned cues that grab your attention and influence your behavior

palatability

tastiness

obesity

based on a combination of height and weight, 30 or above using body mass index (BMI) of weight status

primary reinforcers

biological reinforcers, such as food, water, sex, temperature, and air

novelty

(need for) newness

affiliation

(need for) social interaction and connection

extroverts

people who derive energy from relationships

introverts

people who derive energy from solitude

achievement

(need for) mastery of a skill or significant accomplishment

competence

(need for) others to look to you for help because you are capable and in control of a situation

extrinsic motivation

behavior directed toward obtaining rewards that are outside ourselves

intrinsic motivation

behavior driven by desires that are inside ourselves

self-determination

reward is fundamentally centered within the person who desires competence, relationships, and autonomy

Maslow's hierarchy of needs

description of needs as a progression, with basic physiological needs at the foundation and more complex psychological needs at the top

evolution

change in the heritable characteristics of species over time

emotional intelligence

ability to recognize causes and consequences of feelings in self and others

happiness

one of six basic, innate emotions, expressed through relaxed eyes and a smile when experiencing feelings ranging from contentment to elation

sadness

one of six basic, innate emotions, expressed through turned down eyes and a frown when experiencing feelings ranging from cheerless to miserable

fear

one of six basic, innate emotions, expressed through clenched jaw and wide eyes when experiencing feelings ranging from worry to horror

anger

one of six basic, innate emotions, expressed through tight mouth and furrowed brow when experiencing feelings ranging from annoyance to rage

disgust

one of six basic, innate emotions, expressed through wrinkled nose and raised upper lip when experiencing feelings ranging from aversion to repulsion

surprise

one of six basic, innate emotions, expressed through raised eyebrows and open mouth when experiencing feelings ranging from startled to astonished

dimensions

multiple continua along which emotions vary

pleasant-unpleasant

dimension of emotion, how good or bad it feels

activation

dimension of emotion, how alert/aware/aroused we are

emblems

culture-specific signs that indicate and project a feeling about an issue

body language

outward indicators of an internal emotional state, for example clenched fists or hunched shoulders

microexpressions

facial version of an emblem, appear and disappear very quickly

display rules

culture-specific, elaborate rules about when and where it is okay to express particular emotions

fight or flight response

coordinated set of activites that prepares the body for action; coordinated in part by the sympathetic nervous system

limbic system

located beneath the cerebral cortex, forebrain structures that play a critical role in regulating emotion or feelings

amygdala

limbic system structure involved in a variety of emotions and emotional memories; important for recognizing and responding to stimuli that induce fear

hypothalamus

regulates body temperature, hunger, thirst, and sexual behavior, plays a role in sleep; link between brain and endocrine system, controls autonomic nervous system

frontal cortex

area of the brain that evaluates information, has direct connections to the hypothalamus and amygdala

James-Lange theory of emotion

sympathetic nervous system is activated first, followed by interpretation and identification of the experience as an emotion

Cannon-Bard theory of emotion

emotion is felt/experienced first, followed by sensations of sympathetic nervous system arousal

facial-feedback hypothesis

support for James-Lange, specific facial expressions are followed by the experience of that emotion

appraisal

detection and assessment of relevance of stimuli