4.6-4.7 Psych Notes

Motivation

Consisting of biological, social, emotional, and cognitive factors that force an individual to take action.

Primary needs

Basic biological needs like food and water, required to maintain a person's well-being and life.

Secondary Needs

Psychological needs that contribute to well-being, social fulfillment, and joy.

Instincts

Fixed patterns of behavior that automatically trigger when an organism encounters certain stimuli.

Homeostasis

The body’s way of maintaining balance for internal conditions like temperature and energy levels.

Drive Reduction Theory

This theory states that behavior is driven by the need to maintain homeostasis.

Ghrelin

A human hunger hormone that signals the brain that the body needs energy.

Leptin

A fullness hormone produced by fat cells that affects motivation and desire to eat.

Hypothalamus

An organ in the brain that receives and processes hormone signals to help the body.

Pituitary gland

A gland that releases hormones influencing various bodily functions.

Arousal theory

A theory focusing on how motivation is influenced by the amount of stimulation experienced.

Yerkes-Dodson Law

States that performance increases with arousal to a point, after which it begins to decrease.

Intrinsic motivation

Motivation that arises from internal factors, such as enjoyment and personal satisfaction.

Extrinsic motivation

Motivation that comes from external factors, such as rewards or avoidance of punishment.

Self-Determination Theory

The theory that people can be motivated by intrinsic or extrinsic motivations.

Incentive Theory

A theory suggesting behavior is driven by external rewards or punishments.

Sensation Seeking Theory

Proposes that individuals have different needs for experiences, influencing their motivation to act.

Experience seeking

The desire for new and unconventional experiences.

Adventure/thrill-seeking

The desire to engage in physically risky activities.

Disinhibition

The tendency to seek out social or recreational situations.

Boredom susceptibility

The tolerance individuals have for repetitive and routine experiences.

Kurt Lewin's Motivational Conflict Theory

Focuses on motivation arising from confronted choices with different outcomes.

Approach-Avoidance Conflict

A conflict where a choice has both positive and negative aspects.

Approach-Approach Conflict

A conflict where a person chooses between two desirable outcomes.

Avoidance-Avoidance Conflict

A conflict where a person chooses between two undesirable outcomes.

MMPI-2

The best known objective personality test, designed to aid in the diagnosis or assessment of major psychiatric or psychological disorders by exploring personality traits.

Person-Situation Debate

The ongoing discussion in psychology about whether personality is more influenced by situational factors (State) or remains consistent across different situations (Trait).

State vs. Trait

The distinction in personality psychology where 'State' refers to temporary conditions influenced by the environment, while 'Trait' refers to enduring characteristics that determine consistent behavior.

Walter Mischel

A psychologist who argued that personality is influenced by situational contexts and that individuals adapt their behavior based on expectations in various social situations.

Situational Factors

External elements that can influence behavior and personality traits in specific contexts, suggesting that actions can vary across different environments.

Consistency in Personality

The idea that certain characteristics or traits of a person remain stable over time and across different situations.

Behavioral Adaptation

The process through which individuals change their behavior in response to varying social contexts based on learned expectations.

Interactionism

A perspective in psychology that emphasizes the interaction between personal traits and situational variables in determining behavior.

Primary Drives

Biological and unlearned drives directly related to survival and basic needs.

Thirst

A primary drive that prompts individuals to seek hydration and maintain fluid balance.

Hunger

A primary drive that motivates individuals to seek food to fulfill energy requirements.

Sex Drive

A primary drive that encourages reproductive behaviors and the pursuit of sexual activity.

Secondary Drives

Learned drives that are not directly related to biological needs, often shaped by experiences.

Work Motivation

A secondary drive that motivates individuals to work hard for monetary rewards and stability.

Social Recognition

A secondary drive that compels individuals to seek acknowledgment and approval from others.

Ambition

A learned motivation to achieve success, often linked to personal goals and recognition.

Push and Pull of Incentive Theory

Push factors motivate individuals to take action due to negative stimuli (e.g., health issues), while pull factors drive continuation through positive outcomes (e.g., increased fitness and energy).

Sensation-Seeking Motivation

The drive for varied, novel, complex, and intense experiences, rooted in individual differences in the need for stimulation.

Marvin Zuckerman's Sensation Seeking Theory

A theory proposing that individuals vary in their need for stimulation, influencing their personality type and behaviors in daily life.

Thrill-Seeking

The pursuit of activities that provide excitement and risk, often associated with a desire for adventure and heightened sensations.

Adventure Seeking

The inclination to engage in challenging or risky experiences to derive excitement and enjoyment.

Experience Seeking

The love of variety in sensations of the mind and senses; a desire for novel and unconventional experiences.

Hierarchy of Needs

A theory by Abraham Maslow suggesting that human needs are arranged in a hierarchy, with physiological needs at the base, followed by safety, social, esteem, and self-actualization needs.

Cognitive Consistency Theory

A theory asserting that motivation arises from the tension created by conflicting internal thoughts, driving individuals to achieve coherence between thoughts and actions.

Cognitive Consistency

The goal of ensuring no conflict between thoughts and actions.

Feel-good, do-good Phenomenon

The tendency for individuals in a positive mood to perform helpful acts, as good feelings often lead to generous behavior.

Feel-bad, do-bad Phenomenon

The tendency for individuals in a negative mood to engage in harmful or unhelpful behaviors, as negative feelings often lead to adverse actions.

Biopsychosocial Model of Motivation

A framework that explains motivation through the interaction of biological, social, and psychological factors.

Biological Factors of Motivation

Includes needs for food, water, sleep, and temperature regulation, influenced by structures like the hypothalamus.

Social Factors of Motivation

Involves influences from parents, peers, media, and cultural expectations that shape social and cultural schemas.

Psychological Factors of Motivation

Comprises behavioral actions, emotional feelings, and cognitive aspects like thoughts, fears, and perceptions influenced by schemas.

Physiology of Hunger

Stomach contractions (pangs) signal the brain about hunger when the stomach is empty, while feelings of fullness indicate satiety.

Hypothalamic Centers

The hypothalamic centers include structures that regulate hunger and satiety, with the lateral hypothalamus (LH) stimulating hunger.

Ventromedial Hypothalamus (VMH)

A part of the hypothalamus that, when stimulated, depresses hunger. Destroying the VMH in animals leads to excessive eating behavior.

Set Point

The 'hunger set point' is the theoretical ideal body weight that the hypothalamus aims to maintain, triggering increased hunger and a lowered metabolic rate when weight falls below this level, acting as a 'weight thermostat.'