Unit 7: MESH & Personality (Part 2 - Motivation, Emotion, Stress, & Health (MESH)) (copy)

Motivation

Motivation

the factors that influence the initiation, direction, intensity, & persistence of behavior

Biological Factors

ex: food, water, sleep, sex, temperature, physiological factors (drugs or hormones)

"internal"

Social Factors

For what?: approval of others, acceptance, fitting in/standing out

By whom: parents/siblings, friends, teammates, teachers, media, 

culture/race/religion, etc."external"

Cognitive Factors

ex: beliefs, thoughts, expectations & views of yourself & of the world, curiosity, intellectual growth, etc.      "internal"

Emotional Factors

ex: love, happiness, anger, fear, jealousy  "internal"

Primary Drives/Motives

biological need; directly related to survival (ex: food, water, oxygen, sleep, etc.)

Secondary Drives/Motives

acquired drives that are culturally determined/learned (ex: obtaining money, intimacy, social approval, etc.)

Drive Theory (AKA Drive Reduction Theory)

We are motivated to maintain homeostasis (balance)
(this theory best explains biological needs)

Homeostasis

state of physiological equilibrium or stability

Drive

internal state of tension that motivates an organism to behave in a certain way in order to restore homeostasis

Incentive Theory

Incentive = an external goal

We are motivated to obtain desirable stimuli or avoid negative stimuli

ex: money, promotion, food, approval, a good grade, etc

Evolutionary/Instinct Theory

Based on survival, natural selection; reproductive capacity; automatic, involuntary, and unlearned behaviors

ex: birds fly south for the winter

Arousal Theory

People are motivated to maintain their optimal level of arousal (which is different for everyone)

-If over-aroused (above your optimal level) = motivated to reduce your level of arousal.

-If under-aroused (lower than your optimal level) = motivated to increase your arousal level.

Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs

people are motivated to fulfill certain needs that are arranged in a hierarchy; the lower needs on the hierarchy must be fulfilled before someone can be motivated by the next need on the hierarchy.

Lateral Hypothalamus

Feeding center; "ON" switch

Ventromedial Hypothalamus/Nucleus

Satiety center; "OFF" switch

Paraventricular Nucleus (PVN)

controls the selection of specific foods & blood sugar levels (ever wonder why you choose the foods you do?!)

Glucose

Food is converted into glucose (simple sugar) and provides a source of energy.  low levels = hungry

Insulin

secreted by pancreas; reduces appetite

Ghrelin

released by empty stomach = stimulates appetite; causes stomach contractions

CCK (Cholecystokinin)

delivers satiety (full) signals to the brain

Leptin

long-term regulation of hunger, 

high leptin = high fat storage; less hunger

Platability

tastes good = eat more

Quantity available

more food = eat more

Variety available

increased variety = eat more

Presence of others

more people = eat more

Cultural factors

Learned preferences

BMI (Body Mass Index)

weight divided by height²

Set Point Theory

Internal thermostat that fights to maintain body weight within a certain range (maintained by food intake & metabolism)

*unique to each individual; this is the body’s “normal” weight

Mindset (Carol Dweck) - Fixed Mindset

Belief that your basic qualities, like your intelligence or talent, are simply fixed traits

Mindset (Carol Dweck) - Growth Mindset

Belief that your most basic abilities can be developed through dedication and hard work—brains and talent are just the starting point (love of learning & resilience are essential)

Need for Achievement

need for personal accomplishment

Characteristics of a High Need for Achievement

1. Enjoy the process of struggling for achievement 

2. Feel intense satisfaction when achievement is reached

3. Set challenging- but realistic- goals

4. Take risks & not upset by failure

5. Seek out constructive criticism from competent sources

6. Preoccupied with performance & level of ability

7. Select tasks with clear outcomes

Characteristics of a Low Need for Achievement

1. Success produces feelings of relief at having avoided failure

2. Prefer tasks that ensure success

3. Quit in response to failure

4. Do not seek out criticism

Need for Affiliation

need to belong to and identify with a group

Need for Approval

need to have other people think highly of you

Intrinsic Motivation

motivation/desire for personal satisfaction, growth,  purpose, mastery or autonomy

Extrinsic Motivation

desire to attain external rewards

Overjustification effect

Giving a reward for an already desired behavior will reduce one's aspiration to engage in that behavior  (when introducing extrinsic rewards diminishes intrinsic motivation)

Elements of Emotion

Cognitive Component (Appraisal), Physiological Component, 

Behavioral Component (Expression)

Appraisal* (Cognitive Appraisal)

subjective/personal interpretation of an external event/situation

Affective forecasting

efforts to predict one's emotional reactions to future events

Pyramidal Motor System

Voluntary muscle movement

Extrapyramidal Motor System

Involuntary muscle movement

Facial Feedback Hypothesis/Effect

the ability of facial muscles to trigger corresponding feelings such as fear, anger, or happiness

6 Main Universal Emotions

Happiness, sadness, surprise, fear, disgust, anger + contempt

Social Referencing

Looking to others to guide emotional reactions

Display rules

Norms that regulate the appropriate (facial & behavior) expression of emotions. *Internalized as a function of an individual’s culture, gender or family background

James-Lange Theory

The physical reactions of the body determine what emotion we experience. (Each emotion has a specific physical reaction)

Cannon-Bard Theory

The brain determines what emotion we experience. The physical reaction & emotion occur simultaneously.

Schachter’s Two-Factor Theory (Schachter-Singer)

The physical reactions PLUS our appraisal of the situation determine what emotion we experience

Transferred excitation (Misattribution of arousal)

When arousal from one activity carries over to an independent emotional situation.

Biopsychosocial model/perspective

The interaction of biological, physiological, & sociocultural factors on mental health.

Stress

Negative physical and psychological responses to  disruptions in our environment, or threat of disruption (actual or perceived).

Eustress

Good stress (Motivational, increases performance, energizing, etc…)

Distress

Bad stress (Colloquial stress: Unpleasant, decreases performance, struggle, etc…)

Primary appraisal (Does the stressor impact me, and how much?)

an initial evaluation of whether an event is:

1. irrelevant to you

2. relevant, but not threatening

3. relevant and stressful

Secondary appraisal (How am I going to deal with the stressor?)

If you appraise the situation as being stressful, then the secondary appraisal is the evaluation of your coping resources and options for dealing with the stress.

Acute stressors

threatening events that have a relatively short duration and a clear endpoint

Chronic stressors

threatening events that have a relatively long duration and no readily apparent time limit

Approach-approach conflict

A choice must be made between two attractive/desirable goals. 

Avoidance-avoidance conflict

A choice must be made between two unattractive/undesirable goals.

Approach-avoidance conflict

A choice must be made about whether to pursue a single goal that has both attractive and unattractive aspects

Multiple appraoch-avoidance conflict

A choice must be made when two or more alternatives are available and have both positive & negative aspects.

Yerkes-Dodson Law

• Looks at the relationship between an emotional reaction to a stressor (arousal) and the ability to cope with the stress (or performance in general).

  the higher the stress/arousal, the more performance/coping is impaired

• Amount of arousal needed/beneficial is also dependent on the type of task.

  as task complexity increases, more arousal impairs performance.

Fight-or-flight Response

physiological reaction to threats in which the autonomic nervous system mobilizes the organism for attacking (fight) or fleeing (flight) an enemy

General Adaptation Syndrome (GAS) Hans Selye

Focuses on the physiological responses to stress

Phase 1: Alarm

“Freeze”
* Initial shock of the stressor; short-lived
Fight-or-flight; sympathetic nervous system working hard

Phase 2: Resistance

“Fight or Flight”
Provides the energy we need to fight the stressor (prolonged).
Sympathetic nervous system engaged to help use resources to get us through the stressor (but not as much as alarm)

Phase 3: Exhaustion

*Continual depletion of energy resources = suppression of immune system = get sick

Ruminative Thinking

Continual interruption of thoughts; can’t get the stressor out of your head

Catastrophizing

Over-exaggerating the potential consequences of a stressor.

Cynical Hostility

suspiciousness, resentment, frequent anger, distrust of others

Heart Disease

Stress responses such as anger & hostility have been connected to heart disease

Type A personality characteristics

rigid organization, competitiveness, impatience & time urgency, and easily aroused to anger or hostility. 

*Experience more stress & more prone to stress-related health problems

Type B personality

relatively relaxed, patient, easygoing, amicable behavior

Social Support Network

Your family & friends who support you during times of stress; they provide an outlet for emotions, ideas, & reassurance, and even help confront/deal with the stressor

Optimism & Concientiousness

expectation that things will turn out well

Problem Focused

Focuses on the reducing stress by  addressing source of the stress (dealing with the stressor itself)    ex: confront it; make a plan; problem solve; evaluate pros & cons; seek support 

Emotion Focused

Focuses on reducing the response (i.e. emotional arousal) to the stressor ex: keep yourself busy & take your mind off of it; pray; reappraise the stressor; escape/avoid it

Appraisal, Predictability, & Control

ou will experience less stress with increased predictability of the stressor and increased control over the stressor

Cognitive Restructuring

You will experience less stress if you change your interpretation of the stressor & your thoughts about the stressor