Ap psych motivation and emotion

Instinct Theory

Behavior is motivated by inborn (genetic) instincts.

Drive Reduction Theory

We are motivated to reduce physical discomfort and maintain balance.

Needs

Physical requirements for survival.

Drives

Psychological states that push us to satisfy needs.

Homeostasis

Body’s tendency to maintain internal balance.

Primary drives

Hunger, thirst, and need for sleep.

Arousal Theory

We are motivated to maintain an optimal level of arousal (not too bored, not too stressed).

Incentive Theory

Behavior is motivated by external rewards or avoidance of punishment.

Abraham Maslow

Proposed hierarchy of needs.

Maslow’s hierarchy of needs

Pyramid of needs from basic survival to self-actualization.

Physiological needs

Food, water, sleep.

Safety needs

Security, stability.

Love and belonging

Relationships, acceptance.

Esteem needs

Achievement, respect.

Self-actualization

Reaching full potential.

Hunger motivation

Biological and psychological factors that regulate eating.

Hypothalamus

Brain area that controls hunger.

Lateral hypothalamus

Triggers hunger (damage causes no eating).

Ventromedial hypothalamus

Stops hunger (damage causes overeating).

Set point theory

Body has a natural weight range it tries to maintain.

Glucose

Sugar in blood that provides energy.

Insulin

Hormone that regulates glucose levels.

Internal eaters

Eat when physically hungry.

External eaters

Eat due to sight, smell, or environment.

Garcia effect

Conditioned taste aversion after getting sick.

Bulimia

Eating disorder involving binge eating and purging.

Anorexia

Eating disorder involving self-starvation.

Obesity

Excess body fat due to genetic, biological, and environmental factors.

Sexual motivation

Motivation related to reproduction and pleasure.

Four stages of sexual response

Excitement, plateau, orgasm, resolution.

Estrogen

Primary female sex hormone.

Testosterone

Primary male sex hormone.

Psychological factors (sex)

Emotions, expectations, experiences influence sexual behavior.

Sexual orientation

Pattern of romantic/sexual attraction.

Causes of sexual orientation

Combination of biological and environmental factors.

Cultural attitudes toward sex

Beliefs about sex vary widely across cultures.

Primary sex characteristics

Reproductive organs.

Secondary sex characteristics

Physical traits developing at puberty (voice, body hair, breasts).

Social motivation

Motivation driven by social needs and interactions.

Achievement motivation

Desire to succeed and accomplish goals.

Intrinsic motivation

Motivation from internal satisfaction.

Extrinsic motivation

Motivation from external rewards.

Overjustification effect

External rewards reduce intrinsic motivation.

Management Theory X

Assumes workers are lazy and need control.

Management Theory Y

Assumes workers are motivated and responsible.

Theories of emotion

Different explanations of how emotions occur.

William James

Proposed James-Lange theory.

James-Lange Theory

Emotion comes after physical arousal.

Walter Cannon & Philip Bard

Proposed Cannon-Bard theory.

Cannon-Bard Theory

Emotion and physical arousal happen at the same time.

Stanley Schachter

Proposed Two-Factor Theory.

Two-Factor Theory

Emotion = physical arousal + cognitive label.

Opponent Process Theory

Emotions occur in opposite pairs.

Robert Yerkes & John Dodson

Proposed arousal-performance relationship.

Yerkes-Dodson Law

Performance is best at moderate arousal.

Stress

Body’s response to demands or threats.

SRRS

Social Readjustment Rating Scale.

Life change units

Numerical values measuring stress impact.

Stressors

Events that cause stress.

Stress reactions

Physical and emotional responses to stress.

Catharsis

Release of emotional tension.

Type A personality

Competitive, impatient, high stress.

Type B personality

Relaxed, calm, low stress.

Transient stressors

Short-term stressors.

Chronic stressors

Long-lasting stressors (more harmful).

Hans Selye

Developed General Adaptation Syndrome.

General Adaptation Syndrome

Body’s response to prolonged stress.

Alarm stage

Initial stress reaction.

Resistance stage

Body adapts to stress.

Exhaustion stage

Resources depleted; illness more likely.

Universal human emotions

Basic emotions shared across cultures.

Culture-specific gestures

Gestures that differ by culture.

Polygraph

Measures physiological responses to detect lying.

Polygraph accuracy

Incorrect about 25% of the time.

Adaptation Level Theory

Happiness depends on comparison to previous experiences.

Relative Deprivation Theory

Dissatisfaction from comparing oneself to others.

Feel-good, do-good phenomenon

Happy people are more likely to help others.

Happiness

Overall sense of well-being and life satisfaction.

Leptin

Protein secreted by fat cells; when abundant, causes the brain to increase metabolic rate and decrease hunger.

Orexin

Hunger-triggering hormone secreted by the lateral hypothalamus.

Ghrelin

Hormone secreted by the empty stomach; sends hungry signals to the brain.

PYY

Digestive tract hormone; sends not hungry signals to the brain.