Unit 8 - Emotion & Motivation

Once again, i waited for the last minute

motivation

set of factors that activate, direct, and maintain behavior; usually toward a goal

attempts to “explain” why behaviors happen

instincts

innate patterns of behavior that occur in every normally functioning member of a species under certain set circumstances

does not explain behavior — it just describes or labels behavior

drives

hypothetical constructs reflecting some internal state that orientates an organism to some goal

hunger → food
thirst → liquid

desire → sexual gratification

Walter Cannon

homeostasis

homeostasis

maintaining of biological conditions within a fairly narrow range.

If disrupted, rives are formed

• water

• nutrition

• temperature

Hull

added that drives were derived from aversive conditions.

two types of drives:

• primary drives

• secondary drives

2 types of drives

• primary drives

• secondary drives

primary drives

induced by internal, biological needs

• food

• water

secondary drives

drives that are acquired by experience (classical conditioning)

• money

• fame

sensation seeking as a drive

this concept was created to explain the apparent need for certain levels of stimulation

• exploring the environment

• sensory stimulation

optimal arousal theory

too much arousal → ineffective

too little arousal → ineffective

this shows that there may be an optimal level of arousal for behavior that is task-related

Yerkes-Dodson law

easy tasks → done better under high arousal

hard task → done better under low arousal

incentive theory

environment pulls behavior from the organism

• getting an A on a test

• earning money from work

Cognitive theories of motivation

expectancies, beliefs, and other mental processes are the basis of motivation

Rotter’s expectencies

whether or not we engage in behavior depends on both the value of the goal and our belief in our ability to reach that goal

Murray’s need for achievement abbreviation

nAch

Murray’s need for achievement

complex psychological motive to

• accomplish challenging goals

• get high standards

• be better than others

• increase self-regard

Festinger’s cognitive dissonance

psychological discomfort when two related cognitions or behaviors are in conflict

the discomfort becomes a motivator for withe behavior or belief changes.

hypothalamus

helps organize motivational behavior

stimuli that act on the brain to increase/decrease hunger

• stomach

• intestine

• liver

• brain

• fat cells

• environmental cues

stomach

receptors are activated when the stomach is full; however, hunger still occurs in the absence of the stomach

intestine

monitors nutrient levels, particularly in the duodenum

cholecystokinin (CCK)

hormone that somehow affects satisfaction.

where is cholecystokinin (CCK) created

• stomach

• intestines

what does cholecystokinin (CCK) cause

a decrease in the emptying rate of the stomach. decreases sham feeding rates

unsure how it works

liver

may inhabit food intake

if glucose is injected into portal vein (which goes to the liver), see reduced eating

brain

monitoring glucose levels in the brain

less glucose → hunger

lateral area of the hypothalamus

lateral = lean

“start eating” - FALSE

damage to lateral = no motivation to eat drink, flirt etc.)

damage to the pathway to the basal ganglia - “do something”

ventromedial area of the hypothalamus

ventromedial = FAT (BIG word = BIG rats)

“stop eating” - FALSE

damage causes cells in the peripheral nervous system to store calories as fat but starving other tissues

fat cells

produce a hormone cells leptin which indicates how much fat is in the fat cells

more leptin → less fat/hunger

environmental cues

• sight/smell food

• time of day

obesity

fat

factors influencing obesity

• genetics

• early childhood wight (# of fat cells)

• metabolic factors & repetitive dieting

• chronic stress

anorexia

no eating → skinny

bulimia

binge eating → fat

hormones

chemicals that are created by ENDOCRINE GLANDS into the bloodstream

in male mammals, what is the main hormone related to sex

TESTOSTERONE which is created by the TESTES

what is the female counterpart

ESTROGEN which is created by the OVARIES

how do hormones effect male sexual behavior

creation of testosterone is pretty constant

rats - testosterone → must be for sex

humans - testosterone → not necessary, but helpful

how do hormones effect female sexual behavior

hormone production is cyclic → ESTROUS CYCLE

rats - 4-5 day cycle → must be in heat for sex

humans - 28 day cycle → doesn’t matter for sex

male hormones in females

in females, male hormones = more drive, female hormones = less drive

male hormones are made in adrenal glands

taken out → less sexual interest

sexual arousal

culture defines what stimuli of the individual and the situation are arousing

courtship

culture defines what responses are permissible and effective for the goal of sexual contact

sexual goals

in many ways, determined by the culture (children, orgasm?)

homosexuality myth:
seduction theory

FALSE

seduced as child by same sex

homosexuality myth:
“by default”

FALSE

unable to attract partners of the opposite sex

homosexuality myth:
poor parenting

FALSE

gay men → dominant mothers, weak fathers

lesbian women → weak/absent mothers

homosexuality myth:
modeling theory

FALSE

children imitate gay or lesbian parents/adults

what plays a big role in sexual orientation

biology

• genes

• prenatal hormone levels/exposure

emotion

a internal feeling that includes

• arousal

• cognition

• expressions

concepts of emotion

they tend to be brought out by significant event and are automatic and rapid in existence.

expressions → can be surpassed

experience → not controllable

components of emotion

• physiological arousal

• cognitive processes

• behavioral responses

• feelings

physiological arousal

hormonal/autonomic nervous system

cognitive processes

• perception

• learning

• memory

behavioral repsonses

• expressions

• postures

feelings

affect; the psychological experience of emotion

are emotions motivations

YES. emotions help us initiate, maintain, and terminate interactions with others and situations

6/8 basic emotions

• anger

• fear

• sadness

• happiness/joy

• surprise

• disgust

• anticipation

• acceptance

common-sense view

stimulus → perception → emotion → behavior

James-Lange theory

stimulus → perception → behavior → emotion

Cannon-Bard theory

stimulus → perception → 2 behavior OR emotion

Schachter-Singer theory

perception leads to physical arousal and that arousal is cognitively interpreted to determine the emotion experienced

stimulus → perception → 2 behavior/body AND/OR cognitive evaluation → emotion

Ekman’s facial feedback theory

6 basic emotions have specific facial expressions that go with them

expression = emotion

emotions → communication: usually within species but also potentially across species

“social smiles” vs. Duchenne smiles (true smiles)

Biological components of emotion

• amygdala

• hippocampus

amygdala

plays a role in mood and anxiety disorders

hippocampus

decreased hippocampus volume → PTSD