Unit 5/8 Study Guide

psych bad

achievement motivation

The drive to excel, achieve, and outperform others.

arousal theory

People seek an optimal level of arousal. Too little leads to boredom; too much leads to stress.

Drive Reduction Theory

motivation arises from biological needs that create drives

drive reduction example

hunger (need) creates discomfort (drive), leading to eating (behavior)

incentive theory

motivation is influenced by external rewards (incentives); incentives pull behavior

yerkes-dodson law

moderate arousal is best for performance, high arousal aids easy tasks, low arousal aids difficult tasks

alarm

fight or flight GAS stage

resistance

sustained effort GAS stage

exhaustion

energy depletion GAS stage

GAS stage example

a student rehearsing for a play: alarm creates the initial stress of rehearsals, then resistance adapts to long hours, and exhaustion causes burnout and fatigue

james-lange theory

emotion follows physiological response

cannon-bard theory

emotion and physiology occur simultaneously

schachter-singer (two-factor) theory

emotion = arounsal + cognitive label

theories of emotion example

you see a bear: jlt - bear —> heart races —> fear, cbt - bear —> heart races + fear, ss/tft - bear —> heart races + “this is scary” —> fear

facial feedback hypothesis

smiling makes you feel happy

high road

(zajonc) emotion processed in the cerebral cortex (thought before reaction)

low road

(zajonc) immediate response via the amygdala (quick fear reaction)

set point

body’s weight regulation system controlled by the hypothalamus; losing weight slows metabolism and gaining weight speeds it up

ghrelin

hormone from the stomach triggering hunger

carbohydrates

release serotonin, enhancing mood

hunger pangs

stomach contractions signaling hunger

obesity factors

genetics (metabolism/fat storage) and environment (diet/lifestyle)

obesity

BMI of 30+

circadian rhythm

24 hour biological cycle affecting alertness

circadian rhythm disruptions

(jet lag/night shifts) causes fatigue and cognitive issues

REM sleep

“paradoxical sleep;” active brain, paralyzed body

REM rebound

extra REM sleep after deprivation, indicating importance

awake stage

beta brainwaves

sleep sleep stage

alpha brainwaves

NREM1 sleep stage

theta brainwaves

NREM2 sleep stage

sleep spindles

NREM3 sleep stage

delta brainwaves

REM sleep stage

beta brainwaves (like wakefulness)

night terrors

sudden fear w/ no memory

sleep apnea

breathing stops temporarily

sleepwalking

movement during NREM sleep

narcolepsy

sudden sleep attacks

CNS depression

alcohol and sleeping pills are dangerous as they make this extreme

polygraph issues

measures physiological arousal (heart rate, sweat), similar to fear and lying

basic emotions

fear, sadness, happiness, disgust, anger, surprise (universal + content)

facial expressions

most universal emotion expression

hand gestures

cultural, not universal, allowing for misinterpretations

fearful eyes/brain

activates the amygdala

heart disease

biggest killer in north america with stress increasing its risk

insulin

lowers blood sugar by storing glucose

ostracism

social exclusion causing emotion pain (ignored in a group)

semi-starvation

obsession with food, depression, reduced energy

depressants

alcohol, morphine

stimulants

nicotine

hallucinogens

LSD, marijuana

smoker withdrawal

irritability, cravings

heroin withdrawal

sweating, nausea, shaking

adrenaline

(epinephrine) fight or flight hormone

sympathetic nervous system

activates (fight or flight)

parasympathetic nervous system

calms (rest and digest)

SNS/PNS mnemonic

“S for stress, P for peace”

information processing

dreams help sort memories

activation synthesis

random brain activity forms dream content

manifest vs latent content

surface vs hidden meanings in dreams

dual processing/selective attention

conscious and unconscious processing simultaneously (eg ignoring background noise while reading)