ap psych - motivation, emotion, and personality

motivations

motivations

a need or desire that energizes and directs behavior

instinct theory

a view that explains human behavior as motivated by automatic, involuntary, and unlearned responses (genetically predisposed)

instinct

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

physiological need

a basic bodily requirement

drive-reduction theory

the idea that a physiological need creates an aroused state (a drive) that motivates an organism to satisfy the need

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 behavior

arousal theory (yerkes-dodson law of arousal)

principle that performance increases w/ arousal only up to a certain point; beyond which performance decreases

maslow's hierarchy of needs

physiological, safety, love/belonging, esteem, self-actualization

glucose

the form of sugar that circulates in the blood and provides the major source of energy for body tissues; when its level is low, we feel hunger

ghrelin

a hunger-arousing hormone secreted by an empty stomach

orexin

hunger-triggering hormone secreted by hypothalamus

insulin

a protein hormone synthesized in the pancreas that regulates blood sugar levels by facilitating the uptake of glucose into tissues

leptin

hormone that signals the hypothalamus and brain stem to reduce appetite and increase the amount of energy used

set point

the point at which an individual's "weight thermostat" is supposedly set.; when the body falls below this weight, an increase in hunger and a lowered metabolic rate may act to restore the lost weight.

basal metabolic rate

the body's resting rate of energy output for maintaining basic body functions

settling point

the level at which the various factors that influence body weight achieve an equilibrium

afiliation need

the need to build relationships and to feel part of a group

ostracism

deliberate social exclusion of individuals or groups

grit

passion and perseverance in the pursuit of long-term goals

testosterone

stimulates development of male sex characteristics; stimulates male sex drive and regulates sperm production

estrogen

sex hormones that contribute female sex characteristics that are secreted more in females

refractory period

a resting period after orgasm, during which a man cannot achieve another orgasm

emotion

a response of the whole organism, involving (1) physiological arousal, (2) expressive behaviors, and (3) conscious experience

james-lange theory

the theory that our experience of emotion is our awareness of our physiological responses to emotion-arousing stimuli

cannon-bard theory

The proposition that emotion and physiological reactions occur simultaneously

two-factor theory

experience of emotion depends on physical arousal and one must have a conscious and cognitive label

facial feedback effect

the tendency of facial muscle states to trigger corresponding feelings such as fear, anger, or happiness

behavior feedback effect

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

stress

the process of which we perceive and respond to certain events or stimuli that we appraise as threatening or challenging

general adaption syndrome (GAS)

Selye's concept of the body's adaptive response to stress in three phases—alarm, resistance, exhaustion.

alarm (GAS)

refers to the arousal of the SNS, resulting in the release of various stimulatory hormones, including cortisol, which is used as a physiological index of stress--the body is energized for immediate action

resistance (GAS)

hormones are released to maintain physiological readiness described in alarm reaction, if it lasts too long, can deplete resources

exhaustion (GAS)

phase where the body's resources are exhausted, and tissue cannot be repaired--the immune system becomes impaired in its functioning

adrenaline

a hormone secreted by the adrenal glands, especially in conditions of stress, increasing rates of blood circulation, breathing, and carbohydrate metabolism and preparing muscles for exertion.

cortisol

stress hormone released by the adrenal cortex; increases glucose, alters immune system response, suppresses digestive system, reproductive and growth processes

catharsis

the idea that "releasing" aggressive energy relieves aggressive urges (through action or fantasy)

approach-approach conflict

conflict occurring when a person must choose between two desirable goals

approach-avoidance conflict

conflict occurring when a person must choose or not choose a goal that has both positive and negative aspects

avoidance-avoidance effect

conflict that occurs when you must choose between two unattractive outcomes

double avoidance conflict

a person faces two undesirable situations in which the avoidance of one is the exposure to the other resulting to an intense emotion

internal locus of control

the perception that you control your own fate

external locus of control

the perception that chance or outside forces beyond your personal control determine your fate

self-efficacy (Bandura)

the belief that one can control a situation and produce favorable outcomes

personality

an individual's characteristic pattern of thinking, feeling, and acting

psychoanalysis

Freud's theory of personality that attributes thoughts and actions to unconscious motives and conflicts; the techniques used in treating psychological disorders by seeking to expose and interpret unconscious tensions

unconscious

(Freud) a reservoir of mostly unacceptable thoughts, wishes, feelings, and memories; (contemporary) information processing of which we are unaware.

free association

a method of exploring the unconscious in which the person relaxes and says whatever comes to mind

id

a reservoir of unconscious psychic energy that, according to Freud, strives to satisfy basic sexual and aggressive drives. The id operates on the pleasure principle, demanding immediate gratification.

ego

the largely conscious, "executive" part of personality that, according to Freud, mediates among the demands of the id, superego, and reality; operates on the reality principle, satisfying the id's desires in ways that will realistically bring pleasure rather than pain.

superego

part of the personality that acts as a moral center

collective unconscious

Jung's name for the memories shared by all members of the human species

projective tests

tests designed to reveal inner aspects of individuals' personalities by analysis of their responses to a standard series of ambiguous stimuli

humanistic theories on personality

view people as innately good and able to determine their own destinies through the exercise of free will

self-actualization

the process by which people achieve their full potential

self-transcendence

a sense of authentically connecting to one's inner self

unconditional positive regard

a caring, accepting, nonjudgmental attitude, which Carl Rogers believed would help clients to develop self-awareness and self-acceptance

self-concept

all our thoughts and feelings about ourselves, in answer to the question, "Who am I?"

traits

people's characteristic behaviors and conscious motives or disposition to feel or act in a certain way

factor analysis

a statistical procedure that identifies clusters of correlated test items that tap basic components of intelligence or traits

personality inventory

a questionnaire on which people respond to items designed to gauge a wide range of feelings and behaviors; used to assess selected personality traits

empirically derived test

a test developed by testing a pool of items and then selecting those that discriminate between groups

reciprocal determinism

the interacting influences of behavior, internal cognition, and environment

social-cognitive perspective

views behavior as influenced by the interaction between people's traits (including their thinking) and their social context

behavioral approach

focuses on the effects of learning on our personality development

spotlight effect

overestimating others' noticing and evaluating our appearance, performance, and blunders (as if we presume a spotlight shines on us)

individualism

giving priority to one's own goals over group goals and defining one's identity in terms of personal attributes rather than group identifications

collectivism

giving priority to the goals of one's group and defining one's identity accordingly

self-serving bias

the tendency for people to take personal credit for success but blame failure on external factors

the big five personality traits

openness, conscientiousness, extraversion, agreeableness, neuroticism

openness

one of the five factors; willingness to try new things and be open to new experiences

concientiousness

dimensions of being hard-working, responsible, and organized

extraversion

trait describing someone who is sociable, gregarious, and assertive

agreeableness

how trusting, good-natured, cooperative, and soft-hearted one is

neurocitism

involving the tendency to experience negative emotions such as anxiety, anger, and depression, often accompanied by distressed thinking and behavior (emotional stability)

lateral hypothalamus

when stimulated, makes you feel hungry

ventromedial hypothalamus

when stimulated, makes you feel full