PSYCH 1305 UNIT 3 TERMS

motivation

a need or desire that energizes and directs (or pushes) behavior

instinct theory

focuses on genetically predisposed behaviors

drive reduction theory

focuses on how we respond to inner pushes and external pulls, explains that a physiological need creates an aroused state that motivates an organism to satisfy the need.

arousal theory

focuses on finding the right level of stimulation

instinct

a complex behavior that is rigidly patterned throughout a species and is unlearned

physiological needs

a basic bodily requirement (such as food or water)

homeostasis

a tendency to maintain a balanced or constant internal state; the regulation of any aspect of body chemistry, such as blood glucose, around a particular level.

incentives

a positive or negative environmental stimulus that motivates (or pulls) behavior

yerkes dodson law

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

hierarchy of needs

maslow’s 5 levels of human needs, beginning with physiological needs. basic needs supporting higher level needs

glucose

the form of sugar that circulates in the blood and provides the major source of energy for body tissues. when it’s low, we feel hungry.

set point

the point at which the “weight. thermostat” may be set. when the body falls below this weight, increases hunger and lowered metabolic rate may combine to restore lost weight

basal metabolic rate

the body’s resting rate of energy output

obesity

defined as a body mass index (BMI) measurement of 30 or higher which is calculated from our weight-to-height ratio

asexual

having no sexual attraction towards others

sexuality

our thoughts, feelings, and actions related to our physical attraction to another

estrogens

primary female sex hormone

testosterone

primary male sex hormone

sexual response cycle

the four stages of sexual responding described by Masters and Johnson - excitement, plateau, orgasm, and resolution

sexual dysfunctions

a problem that consistently impairs sexual arousal or functioning at any point in the sexual response cycle

erectile disorder

inability to develop or maintain an erection due to insufficient blood flow to penis

female orgasmic disorder

distress due to weak orgasmic feelings or infrequently or never experiencing orgasm

paraphilias

sexual arousal from fantasies, behaviors, or urges involving nonhuman objects, the suffering of self or others, and/or nonconsenting persons

AIDS

a life-threatening condition caused by the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), a sexually transmitted infection. Depletes the immune system, leaving the person vulnerable to infections.

sexual orientation

the direction of our sexual attractions, as reflected in our longings and fantasies.

refreactory period

(1) in neural processing, a brief resting pause that occurs after a neuron has fired; subsequent action potentials cannot occur until the axon return to its resting stage. (2) in human sexuality, a resting period that occurs after orgasm, during which a person cannot achieve another orgasm

Sexually transmitted infection - STI

Ex. chlamydia, HSV and HPV

External stimuli

any change, factor, or cue originating from the environment outside an organism that is detected by the senses and triggers a physical, behavioral, or psychological response

Imagined Stimuli

All genders reported having sexual fantasies, watching pornography, and having similar brain responses to sexual imagery.

affiliation need

the need to build and maintain relationships and to feel connected to a group

self-determination theory

the theory that we feel motivated to satisfy our needs for competence, autonomy, and relatedness

ostracism

deliberate social exclusion of individuals or groups

narcissm

excessive self-love and self-absorption

achievement motivation

the desire for significant accomplishments, for a command of skills or ideas, for control, and for attaining a high standard

grit

in psychology, passion and perseverance in the pursuit of long-term goals

intrinsic motivation

a desire to perform a behavior effectively for its own sake

extrinsic motivation

the desire to perform a behavior to receive promised rewards or avoid threatened punishments

prolactin

a hormone released after sexual activity that is associated with sexual satisfaction, relaxation, and contentment

emotions

a response of the whole organism, involving (1) physiological arousal, (2) expressive behaviors, and, most importantly, (3) conscious experience resulting from one’s interpretations

James-Lange theory

arousal comes before emotion

Cannon-Bard theory

arousal and emotion happen at the same time

schachter- singer two factor theory

arousal + label = emotion

polygraph

arousal detectors. measures emotion-linked changes in breathing, heart rate, and perspiration

facial feedback effect

the tendency of facial muscle activation, alone, to trigger corresponding feeling such as fear, anger, or happiness

behavior feedback effect

the tendency of behavior to influence our own and others’ thoughts, feelings, and actions

happiness

an enduring state of well-being that reflects positive emotional patterns and overall satisfaction with life

feel-good, do-good phenomenon

our tendency to be helpful when in a good mood

positive psychology

the scientific study of human flourishing, with the goals of discovering and promoting strengths and virtues that help individuals and communities to thrive

relative deprivation

the perception that we are worse off relative to those with whom we compare ourselves

resilience

the personal strength that helps people cope with stress and recover from adversity and even trauma

adaptation-level phenomenon

our tendency to form judgments (of sounds, of lights or income) relative to a neutral level defined by our prior experience

subjective well-being

self-reported satisfaction with life; used along, with measures of objective well-being to judge our quality of life.

stress

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

approach and avoidance motives

the drive to move towards (approach) or away from (avoid) a stimulus

fight-or-flight response

an emergency response, including activation of the sympathetic nervous system, that mobilizes energy and activity for attacking or escaping a th

general adaptation syndrome

selye’s concept of the body’s adaptive response to stress in three phases - alarm, resistance, exhaustion

tend-and-befriend response

under stress, people (especially women) often provide support to others (tend) and bond with and seek support from others (befriend)

health psychology

a subfield of psychology that contributes to behavioral medicine

psychoneuroimmunology

the study of psychological, neural, and endocrine processes together affect our immune system and resulting health

coronary heart disease

the clogging of the vessels that nourish the heart muscle; a leading cause of death in many developed countries

type A

Friedman and Rosenman’s term for competitive, hard-driving, impatient, verbally aggressive, and anger-prone people

type B

Friedman and Rosenman’s term for easygoing, relaxed people

problem focused coping

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

emotion focused coping

attempting to alleviate stress by attending to emotional related to our stress reaction

personal control

our sense of being in charge of our environment rather that feeling helpless

learned helplessness

the hopelessness and passive resignation humans and other animals learn when unable to avoid repeated aversive events

learned optimism

hopeful thinking that interprets setbacks as temporary and controllable, rather than permanent and pervasive

external locus of control

the perception that outside forces beyond our personal control determine our fate

internal locus of control

the perception that we control our own fate

self control

the ability to control impulses and delay short term gratification for greater long term rewards

emotion regulation

how we manage our emotions, including which emotions we allow ourselves to feel, when we feel them, and how we express those emotions

aerobic exercise

sustained exercise that increases heart and lung fitness; also helps alleviate depression and anxiety

mindfulness meditation

a reflective practice in which people attend to current experiences in a nonjudgmental and accepting manner

cope

alleviating stress using emotional, cognitive, or behavioral methods