psych 1020 exam 3

motivation

the force that moves people to behave, think and feel the way that they do

What are the 2 theories used to explain basic/survival motivation?

evolutionary approach and drive reduction theory

evolutionary approach

we are motivated by our instincts

drive reduction theory

explains motivation through drives and needs

instincts

an innate biological pattern of behavior that’s assured to be universal throughout a species

sign stimulus

something in the environment that activates an instinct.

drive

an aroused state that occurs because of a physiological need

need

a deprivation

homeostasis

the goal of drive reduction theory. the body’s tendency to maintain equilibrium/the steady state of balance

optimum arousal theory

suggests that there is a level of arousal that is ideal for goal attainment

Yerkes Dodson Law

the principle that states that performance is best under conditions of moderate arousal

at what level of arousal do we need to be at in order to perform our best?

moderate level

overlearning

learn something over and over again so you can perform the task without thinking.

why would overlearning be helpful?

if you overlearn something, you will still be able to do it well

Why do we look at hunger and eating in this chapter?

hunger and food are huge motivators

What are the biological signals/components that help our body feel hunger or feel full?

gastric signals (stomach contractions and cholecystokinin)

main brain structure involved in regulating hunger?

hypothalamus

What is the lateral hypothalamus responsible for?

stimulating eating

What is the ventromedial hypothalamus responsible for?

telling your body that it’s full

What is the neurotransmitter that plays a role in feeling full?

serotonin

3 eating disorders discussed in class

anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, and binge eating disorder

anorexia nervosa

gaining thinness through starvation

main characteristics of anorexia nervosa

severly restricted food intake, intense fear of gaining weight, distorted body image

health issues from anorexia nervosa

death, body develops peach fuzz hair, thinning bones and hair, low blood pressure, damage to the heart and thyroid

when does anorexia begin?

adolescence or young adulthood. 14- 18

bulimia nervosa

overeating followed by purging to avoid weight gain

characteristics of bulimia nervosa

binge and purge pattern, preoccupied with food, feelings of shame or disgust

health issues of bulimia nervosa

chronic sore throat, kidney issues, severe dehydration, dental problems, increased risk of death, gatsro-intestinal issues

when does bulimia nervosa typically begin?

late adolescence to late adulthood.

binge eating disorder

most common eating disorder. eating a lot of food and feeling out of control

characteristics of binge eating disorder

recurrent episodes of compulsively eating large amounts of food, feeling lack of control

health complications from binge eating disorder

recurrent episodes of compulsively eating large amounts of food, feeling lack of control

how can health issues from binge eating disorder be treated?

psychotherapy

biological factors involved in obesity?

genetics

is there a genetic component involved in obesity?

yes

set point

the weight you maintain when you are making no effort to gain or lose weight

What is one factor that is involved in determining our set point?

fat (adipose) cells

What are some psychological factors that impact eating and obesity?

emotional state, external food cue, social and economic factors, portion sizes, mindless eating, evolutionary factors/taste preferences

What are some of the sociocultural causes of eating disorders?

media images, family pressures, stress

How can we treat causes of eating disorders?

hospitalization, noninvasive brain structure, psychotherapy/drug therapy

What are the 2 theories/approaches to motivation in everyday life?

Maslow’s hierarchy of needs and Self determination theory

maslow’s hierarchy of needs

sequence of needs—basic needs must be met before higher needs can be satisfied

needs of Maslow’s hiearchy

1) physiological need: food, sleep, water, homeostasis

2) safety needs: security of resources, shelter, health, employment

3) love and belongingness needs: friends and family that you love

4) esteem: self-esteem and self efficacy, confidence, respect, achievements

5) self-actualization: need all of these needs met. People who have met this need are creative, spontaneous, tolerant of others, and are likely to pursue the greater good.

self-actualization

people who have met this are creative, spontaneous, tolerant of others, and are likely to pursue the greater good.

does a person know when they are self-actualized?

yes

self determination theory

states that we have 3 basic organismic needs. competence, relatedness, and autonomy

competence

met when we feel that we’re able to bring about desired outcomes

relatedness

the need to engage in warm relationships with others

autonomy

the sense that we are in control of our own life

beneficence motivation

the need to help others

intrinsic motivation

motivation that’s based on internal factors

example of intrinsic motivation

organismic needs. curiosity, fun, and challenge

extrinsic motivation

motivation from external factors

example of extrinsic motivation

incentives. getting a reward or avoiding punishment

self regulation

the process by which a person effortfully controls their behavior in order to pursue important objectives

why should we have short and long term goals?

long term gives us meaning and purpose while short term gives us motivation to continue and a sense of accomplishment

delayed gratification

putting off a pleasurable experience in the interest of a larger but later reward

marshmallow study

Walter Mischel wanted to figure out when delayed gratification theory could start in children. put a treat in front of them, say that when you leave they can eat it or when you come back, they can get an extra treat.

impulsivity

tendency to rush through things or to act rationally without planning

procrastination

when you intentionally put off actions or a goal.

are procrastination and impulsivity related?

they do have positive correlations. they can overlap in brain regions or genetic links

emotion

a feeling that can involve conscious experience, behavioral expression, and physiological arousal

biological factors of emotion

autonomic nervous system. sympathetic and parasympathetic

one way we can measure SNS activity

polygraph

main brain structure involved in emotion?

amygdala

What are the pros and cons of the amygdala learning fear associations?

PRO: fight or flight, danger detection, memory protection, automacity. CONS: mistaken danger detection, overgeneralization, amygdala hijack, rigidity of fear

Why is it difficult to unlearn fear associations?

fear memories are encoded deeply as a protective survival mechanism

what might be one explanation as to why it is sometimes hard to control our emotions?

previous conditioning, biological factors, or lack of emotional awareness

theories of emotion

James-Lange theory, Cannon-Bard theory, and the two-factor theory of emotion

james lange theory

states that emotion results from physiological states and that each emotion has its own physiological state.

example of james lange theory

seeing a bear in the woods, experiencing a racing heart and trembling, and then interpreting those physical reactions as the emotion of fear

cannon-bard theory

states that emotion and physiological arousal occur simultaneously

does the cannon-bard theory agree with the james lange theory?

no

two factor theory of emotion

states that emotion is determined by physiological arousal and cognitive labeling

experiment from two factor theory of emotion

two groups take the same drug. one group was sent into a room with a confederate that’s happy. the other group had an angry confederate. after both groups were in the rooms, group 1 said that they were happy and group 2 was mad.

primacy debate

which comes first—feeling or thinking?

Lazarus primacy debate

thinking comes first. appraisal determines feelings

Zajonc primacy debate

feelings come first. preferences need no inferences.

which side of the primacy debate is supported?

depends on the situation you are in

two types of behavioral factors in emotion

verbal and nonverbal

What area of psychology focuses on thinking, intelligence, and language?

cognitive psychology

cognition

the way in which information is processed and manipulated

Around what year did psychologists resume focus on the mind and mental processes?

1950s

What can we use as a model of the mind/brain?

computers

area of psychology that dominated before 1950s

behaviorism

What are the differences between computers and the human mind?

Computers can be faster and sometimes more accurate than humans. humans are more flexible than computers.

thinking

forming concepts, problem solving, reasoning, and decision making

concepts

mental category. can be used to group events, objects, and characteristics

why are concepts important?

allow us to generalize, associate experience with objects, make our memory more efficient, and provide clues about how to react to new objects or new experiences